The speed at which artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed from being a niche technology into a mainstream tool these past few years is astonishing. The key differentiator in the recent AI journey has arguably been the introduction of ‘generative AI’, meaning a type of AI that can create new content and ideas, including conversations, stories, images, videos and music.
Artificial intelligence is the broader concept of making machines more human-like. It includes everything from smart assistants like Alexa, chatbots and image generators to robotic vacuum cleaners and self-driving cars. Generative AI is a subset that generates new content meaningfully and intelligently.
Generative AI has been a major step-up from the relatively simple chatbots that we’ve been used to for a while now. For some people, it’s exhilarating and for others, a little intimidating.
In this article, we look at Microsoft Copilot – a generative AI chatbot developed by Microsoft – and how it can help people in their work and home lives with the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans.
But first, let’s take a quick glance at how we got to this point.
From ELIZA to LLMs
The history of generative AI dates back further than you might think, to the 1960s in fact. The first historical example of generative AI was called ELIZA, created in 1966 by Joseph Weizenbaum, a computer scientist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). ELIZA was a talking computer program that would respond to a human, using a natural language and responses designed to sound empathic. We could say that ELIZA was the first chatbot!
The transition from basic chatbots to advanced platforms like Microsoft Copilot represents a shift from rule-based interactions to large language model (LLM)-powered conversational AI.
Microsoft explains that LLMs: ‘are advanced AI systems that understand and generate natural language, or human-like text, using the data they’ve been trained on through machine learning techniques.’
Traditional chatbots are limited by their predefined scripts, while today’s generative capabilities allow for context-aware and human-like responses, enabling more natural and flexible interactions.
Let’s fast-forward to the 21st century. In November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, a generative AI combined with large language models. This was closely followed by Microsoft Copilot in 2023.
The combination of generative AI training with large language models has resulted in artificial intelligence that is able to think and reason. With today’s ‘smarter chatbots’, we’ve achieved a new level of artificial intelligence – they can perform research; support reasonably good writing; and generate realistic videos, audio and images.
So how can Microsoft Copilot help you and your family members?
Technology Working Smarter for the Whole Family
Microsoft 365 Copilot is now available in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans.
It’s an AI-powered assistant built right into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem – a digital assistant designed to help you with a range of tasks and activities. It’s not just a chatbot bolted onto Office but instead can interact with your content, understand context, and execute complex tasks using your data securely.
You could think of it as a digital co-worker that understands your documents, spreadsheets and conversations, and then helps you work faster with automated ideas.
Microsoft Copilot can create drafts of content, recommend different ways to reword something you’ve written, suggest and insert images or banners, create PowerPoint presentations from your Word documents, and many other helpful things.
With your licence, enjoy intelligent features like:
- Smart suggestions for faster document creation and editing;
- AI-driven insights to help you stay organised and make informed decisions;
- Enhanced security with AI-powered threat detection for peace of mind; and
- Personalised experiences tailored to your preferences and usage patterns.
From seamless collaboration to smarter everyday tools, Microsoft’s AI integration ensures that you get the most out of your Personal and Family plans.
Bring the future to your fingertips with cutting-edge AI features included in our Family and Personal licences. Whether you’re managing household tasks, boosting productivity, or exploring creative projects, our AI-powered tools are designed to simplify your life and elevate your experience.
Choose a Family or Personal licence today and step into a world where technology works smarter for you – and the whole family!
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