Major Upgrade for Copilot in Excel

Microsoft Elevates Copilot Integration in Excel

Microsoft is actively encouraging users to embrace its AI tool, Copilot, through a range of integrations with popular applications like OneNote, Defender, and Windows. As the leading spreadsheet software, Microsoft Excel is a prime candidate for enhanced Copilot features. Recently, the company rolled out a significant upgrade to improve this integration.

Enhanced Context Awareness Features

According to a blog post from Microsoft, the latest Copilot update focuses on boosting its contextual understanding within Excel. The AI assistant can now interpret natural language queries more effectively, making interactions smoother than ever. Previously, users had to select specific cells for Copilot to provide relevant insights, but with recent advancements, the tool’s effectiveness extends beyond isolated cell reference.

Users can now simply ask general questions like, “Show me insights about the data I was just analyzing”or “Sort the table in the top-right, ”and expect valid responses without needing to pinpoint exact data ranges. This upgrade is particularly timely as workbooks and sheets have grown in complexity, necessitating a more intelligent AI capable of navigating extensive datasets.

Behind the Upgrade: Intelligent Inference

Microsoft has enhanced Copilot’s capability by combining cell signals with chat history. This innovative approach allows the AI to make better-informed inferences, and also encompasses support for data ranges, laying the groundwork for more comprehensive context in future updates.

Building Trust with Visual Feedback

To foster user trust in Copilot’s recommendations, Microsoft will visually highlight the data utilized by the AI when delivering insights. This transparency allows users to refine the data set more effectively, ensuring they receive the most accurate responses possible.

Availability and Versions

Smart context awareness is available on the web and for the following desktop versions:

Windows: Version 2505 (Build 18623.20058)
Mac: Version 16.95 (Build 2506.3090)

The visual highlighting feature is also accessible on the web and the following desktop versions:

Windows: Version 2505 (Build 18705.20000)
Mac: Version 16.96 (Build 2506.4070)

Microsoft invites users to provide feedback on Copilot’s performance via the thumbs up/down icons located at the bottom of the response cards, ensuring ongoing improvements driven by user insights.

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