If you’ve ever thought, “This meeting could have been an email,” brace yourself—because Microsoft’s Copilot in Teams might just ensure every meeting could become the meeting that never ends. Yes, Microsoft's sleek new AI integration, slated for Teams in March 2025, promises to revolutionize productivity in meetings, but there’s a twist: it could make wrapping up those virtual get-togethers harder than ever.
Let’s sink into the details of what this AI-powered productivity boost actually entails, its benefits, and the potential side effect—virtual meetings taking longer than you'd like.
The kicker? It makes these suggestions whether you want them or not.
But here’s the rub: efficiency can sometimes become excessive. When every answer births a new question, the concept of a concise, targeted meeting risks going out the window. Sure, you might end up with deeper discussions, but do you really need to dive into every single nitty-gritty detail in a single sitting? Sometimes, less is more.
Think of Teams’ Copilot as Zoom's overachieving cousin—it wants you to not only stay on top of your calls but also get hyper-detailed takeaways that you may or may not have asked for.
At best, Microsoft’s AI ensures no valuable insight is lost in a meeting. At worst, it risks bogging everyone down in spirals of endless follow-ups.
By outsourcing so much of the mental effort to AI, are we encouraging lackadaisical meeting behavior? If Copilot can deconstruct, synthesize, and follow-up on conversations without your input, then what’s the incentive for you to be mentally engaged during every discussion? While AI-generated follow-ups may lead to richer dialogue for some, they could also enable selective absent-mindedness for others.
As with all AI advancements, Copilot’s role in Teams will ultimately be what we make of it. Use it wisely, and it’s a disciplined ally; let it run unchecked, and you might redefine purgatory as a never-ending video call.
What’s your take? Are AI-generated follow-ups the productivity push meetings need, or yet another reason to hit “Leave Meeting” the second things start to drag? Share your thoughts with us!
Source: MakeUseOf Wrapping Up a Microsoft Teams Meeting Will Be Harder Than Ever Thanks to This New AI Tool
Let’s sink into the details of what this AI-powered productivity boost actually entails, its benefits, and the potential side effect—virtual meetings taking longer than you'd like.
The Feature That Keeps the Conversation Going
The newly-announced feature, hinted at on Microsoft's 365 Roadmap, revolves around Copilot suggesting follow-up questions automatically right in the middle of your Teams meetings. If you’re scratching your head trying to understand this, here’s how it works:- You ask Copilot a question: Suppose you want clarification on an important point someone made in the meeting.
- Copilot supplies an answer: Using its AI wizardry, Copilot transcribes and processes meeting data to give you a useful response.
- Copilot generates follow-ups: That’s where things get interesting. Instead of letting the moment end, Copilot proposes thoughtful follow-up questions to “delve deeper” or perhaps “ask for other perspectives.”
The kicker? It makes these suggestions whether you want them or not.
Can AI Tools Make Meetings Too Efficient?
At first glance, this sounds brilliant. Copilot’s new ability could help meetings fulfill their purpose—ensuring all participants arrive at a clear consensus while avoiding ambiguous conclusions. By suggesting additional questions, Copilot brings structured insights, meaning no stone is left unturned.But here’s the rub: efficiency can sometimes become excessive. When every answer births a new question, the concept of a concise, targeted meeting risks going out the window. Sure, you might end up with deeper discussions, but do you really need to dive into every single nitty-gritty detail in a single sitting? Sometimes, less is more.
Wait, Doesn’t Zoom Do This Already?
Good observation! Zoom users might notice a parallel here. Earlier in October 2024, Zoom introduced its AI Companion 2.0, which aids meetings by summarizing discussions, providing live transcriptions, and even offering contextual suggestions during the session. Microsoft, however, ups the stakes by focusing not just on aiding ongoing discussions but also on actively generating prompts to extend those discussions further.Think of Teams’ Copilot as Zoom's overachieving cousin—it wants you to not only stay on top of your calls but also get hyper-detailed takeaways that you may or may not have asked for.
At best, Microsoft’s AI ensures no valuable insight is lost in a meeting. At worst, it risks bogging everyone down in spirals of endless follow-ups.
Taking Multitasking to a New Level
One undeniable benefit of AI tools like Copilot is how they reduce the burden on participants to be fully present every second of a meeting. If you’re pulled in multiple directions or joining late, Copilot can catch you up with highlights or ask clarifying questions for you. But this convenience also raises an ironic counterpoint.By outsourcing so much of the mental effort to AI, are we encouraging lackadaisical meeting behavior? If Copilot can deconstruct, synthesize, and follow-up on conversations without your input, then what’s the incentive for you to be mentally engaged during every discussion? While AI-generated follow-ups may lead to richer dialogue for some, they could also enable selective absent-mindedness for others.
The Outlook for March 2025 and Beyond
The Copilot update is set to deploy in March 2025, and while it’s a promising leap in enhancing virtual collaboration, the philosophical question looms: will meetings be better or simply long-winded? There’s no denying that AI-integrated tools like this can provide invaluable insights, especially for workplace teams handling complex projects or brainstorming fresh ideas. Here’s where this could shine:- For Large Teams: Imagine you're in a massive meeting with diverse stakeholders; Copilot can ask the detailed clarifications you might have missed while juggling other tasks.
- For Project-Oriented Workflows: If projects have several moving parts, follow-up questions ensure no detail is left unexplored.
- For Cross-Department Handoffs: Copilot’s follow-ups might smooth complex organizational transitions by prompting clarity.
Tips for Navigating AI-Enhanced Meetings
While Microsoft’s vision is lofty, every tool has its practical limits. If you’re wary about meetings turning into AI-run marathons, here are some tips to stay in charge:- Set Meeting Objectives Early: Clearly outline deliverables at the start so that even Copilot stays task-focused rather than generating tangents.
- Limit Follow-Ups to Critical Topics: If you use Copilot extensively, make it clear that follow-up questions should zero in on “must-address” issues.
- Monitor Time Allocation: AI tools can inadvertently derail time management by prolonging discussions. Keep an eye on the clock.
- Leverage AI for Recaps: Let Copilot summarize discussions for offline digestion rather than extending every in-meeting conversation.
Final Thoughts: AI—A Gift or a Distraction?
The latest Copilot innovation represents a fascinating evolution in how we navigate workplace interactions. On one hand, by automating follow-ups and clarifications, Teams’ AI could empower individuals to finally get the answers that stagnant meeting cultures often repress. On the other hand, this could very well be the feature that turbocharges “meeting fatigue” into new territory.As with all AI advancements, Copilot’s role in Teams will ultimately be what we make of it. Use it wisely, and it’s a disciplined ally; let it run unchecked, and you might redefine purgatory as a never-ending video call.
What’s your take? Are AI-generated follow-ups the productivity push meetings need, or yet another reason to hit “Leave Meeting” the second things start to drag? Share your thoughts with us!
Source: MakeUseOf Wrapping Up a Microsoft Teams Meeting Will Be Harder Than Ever Thanks to This New AI Tool
