Copilot in Outlook: Everything you need to know about it

It’s official: Copilot will be coming to Outlook, starting this November, according to the latest entry in the Microsoft 365 Roadmap. Outlook is the latest Microsoft app to get the AI assistant after the Redmond-based tech giant announced that Copilot will also come to Word, OneDrive, OneNote, and PowerPoint.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, though. Microsoft, who just completed its Activision Blizzard King acquisition, announced that Copilot will join the Microsoft 365 cohort back in September, at the Microsoft Event. However, it was not clear if all the 365 apps were getting it in November, or at separate dates.

But now it’s clear: November will be the month AI is finally integrated into the Microsoft 365 apps, and Outlook, most of all, might need Copilot the most. The has received some important updates recently that hint at a greater integration with the Microsoft 365 apps.

For example, users will now be able to right-click on Microsoft 365 attachments on Outlook and open them directly in their respective apps on the desktop platform. Plus, they will also be able to choose a preferred folder when saving Outlook attachments.

But what about Copilot in Outlook then? Microsoft promises that AI will usher in a new era for the app.

Copilot in Outlook: Everything you need to know

First of all, as we mentioned earlier, Copilot will come to Outlook in November. The AI assistant will be available on the new Outlook for Web, Android, iOS, Mac, and of course, Desktop platforms.

Copilot in Outlook will only support English, at launch, but will Microsoft promises other languages will be supported shortly: Spanish, Japanese, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese Simplified

According to Microsoft, the AI assistant will be capable of two main tasks, at launch:

1. Summarize: The system summarizes email threads (also known as conversations), pulling out key points from multiple messages. When the Summary by Copilot entry point is selected, Copilot automatically provides a summary based on the message bodies of the thread. Common use cases are summarizing a long email to see what decisions have been made and what actions have been suggested by others on the thread.
2. Draft with Copilot: Draft with Copilot takes a user-supplied prompt and generates a potential full-length email. The user can then add the generated content to their email draft body or change the prompt or tone/length settings and generate a new one. You can also use Draft with Copilot to reply to a message, and Copilot will use the context of that thread to generate a potential reply. Common uses are generating an email that communicates a decision clearly or generating an email that communicates in a specific tone and length.  

It’s important to note that Copilot will not use the user’s data or personal data to train itself, and initially, users won’t be able to customize it.

Are you excited about using Copilot in Outlook?