What is Copilot and How Do We Use It?

This page explains what Microsoft Copilot is, how it works within Microsoft 365 apps, and how lecturers can use it to save time and improve their everyday tasks.

Copilot is an AI-powered assistant developed by Microsoft. It is designed to support your work by helping with tasks like writing, summarising, generating ideas, and managing information more efficiently. Copilot is integrated into Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, making it easy to use directly within the tools you are already familiar with at MIT.

What Does Copilot Do?

Copilot uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI), including natural language processing and machine learning, to assist you with a wide range of tasks. It can:

Help you draft documents or emails
Create summaries of long texts or meeting notes
Generate presentations in PowerPoint based on your prompts
Analyse data in Excel and create charts or suggest formulas
Assist in organising your day, including meetings and tasks, through Outlook and Teams

How to Use Copilot

Copilot is built into Microsoft 365, so you will see it as a button or panel within your Microsoft apps. For example:

In Word, you can ask Copilot to create a first draft by typing a prompt like, “Write a summary of this report.”
In PowerPoint, you can type in a topic, and Copilot will generate slides and suggest images or layouts.
In Excel, you can ask Copilot to analyse data, find trends, or create visual charts.
In Outlook, it can help you write emails, respond to messages, or summarise email threads.
In Teams, it can generate meeting notes, action items, or summaries after a discussion.

You interact with Copilot by typing natural-language requests. For example, you might type:
“Summarise the last meeting notes” or “Create a three-slide presentation on digital wellbeing.”

Why Use Copilot?

Copilot is designed to save time, reduce repetitive tasks, and help you focus on higher-level thinking and decision-making. It is especially useful when you are working with large amounts of content, need support to start writing, or want to explore new ways of presenting ideas.

Things to Keep in Mind

Copilot does not replace human judgement. You are still the author and decision-maker. Always review and edit what it generates.
It is not always perfect. It may produce errors or misunderstand prompts, so it is important to check the content it provides.
Copilot is a tool to enhance your teaching and administrative tasks, not take over your work.

Hints and Tips

MIT uses Microsoft 365 Copilot, because it is already built into the Microsoft apps. If not, check with the IT team for access and training.
Using Copilot effectively requires you to explore and practice. Start with small tasks and build your confidence. It’s a powerful partner that can help you work smarter, not harder.