Microsoft says 365 Copilot now cuts Power BI optimization time from days to minutes

Microsoft now claims that 365 Copilot is now helping teams tackle slow and bloated Power BI reports in minutes instead of days. The AI tool can analyze report files, identify inefficiencies, and provide a step-by-step mitigation plan, previously reserved for experts and hours of manual work..

Slow Power BI reports are more than frustrating; they increase costs, waste compute capacity, and drive up the total cost of ownership. Traditionally, fixing these issues requires deep knowledge of semantic modeling, Power Query ETL, and DAX optimizations. Not every team has that expertise in-house, and hiring outside help is expensive and time-consuming.

With Copilot, a developer with moderate Power BI experience can now handle tasks that would normally take 16 to 40 hours in under 20 minutes. Tests show semantic model and refresh times cut by 45%, import-mode model sizes reduced by nearly 80%, and report visuals rendering 25% faster. All of this can happen without setting up extra infrastructure or paying for additional licenses, Copilot works with your existing Microsoft 365 setup.

Unlike solutions such as Power BI MCP servers, Copilot keeps all sensitive data inside the customer tenant. No advanced coding is required beyond standard Power BI workflows. This makes it realistic for teams of any size to optimize multiple reports across the organization, freeing up time for higher-value analysis.

For organizations that rely heavily on Power BI, this could change how report performance is managed. AI-driven guidance may now replace costly manual consulting, letting teams focus on insights rather than troubleshooting. At a time when businesses expect faster, cleaner, and more reliable dashboards, tools like Copilot are showing just how far AI can accelerate enterprise workflows. Speaking of AI, let’s not forget that Microsoft, yesterday, also announced Claude-powered Copilot Cowork agent to streamline daily workflow.