Copilot is Microsoft’s powerful generative AI solution. It’s the successor to Cortana, which was retired in the Spring of 2023. Copilot is an LLM (large language model) AI system that can analyze data and produce written outputs. It’s deeply integrated into the Microsoft toolkit and has numerous potential applications for organizations that adopt it.

While Copilot and ChatGPT are both LLMs (large language models), the similarity ends there. The two AI solutions query different datasets. ChatGPT uses the internet as its dataset, while Copilot returns answers that are stored within your organization’s internal documents, emails, spreadsheets, and so on.

ChatGPT also presents cybersecurity concerns that aren’t present with Copilot. A consultant can help you unpack all the nuances and what they mean for your organization. Learn more here: Microsoft Copilot vs. ChatGPT.

Very few organizations are prepared to launch Copilot successfully on their own. The tool works best with proper data governance and security structures in place. In terms of security and user permissions, you want to make sure you have your house in order before launching Copilot, as the tool can return information from any document to which a user has access—whether they should have that access or not. (Note that your team may not even realize how many documents they can access under your current permission structure.)

But good Copilot consulting doesn’t stop with security and permissions. Copilot has so many use cases, you want someone to partner with you, understand your businesses unique challenges, and configure Copilot effectively to help you utilize it proficiently. This type of consulting requires expertise and familiarity with both Microsoft 365 and Copilot.

Last of all, a consultant can help provide the training your team needs. Copilot can do so many incredible things, you really want to equip your team for success with comprehensive training.

The first step is a Microsoft Copilot Readiness Assessment. This is an audit of your relevant systems and data by expert Copilot consultants. This assessment will capture the state of your data landscape, user permissions, and cybersecurity today as it relates to Copilot. With proper interpretation from your consultants, the assessment will also provide the action items to get your organization ready for Copilot.

Some consultants may provide the recommendations alone. Here at Corsica Technologies, we also implement the recommendations—then implement Copilot. We can get you from your current state to your desired state with our Road to Copilot offering.

Technically, no. Anyone with access to Copilot can pull it up and start playing around with it.

But it’s far more efficient to train your users on Copilot—particularly as it applies to your organization and your unique processes and challenges. If you’re going to spend $300+/year per user, you’ll get more out of your investment by maximizing your team’s practical abilities with the tool. This is yet another area where consulting can help you get the most out of Copilot. A good consultancy will include tailored training that connects the power of Copilot to your unique use cases.