Microsoft 365 Copilot Will Add AI to Word, Outlook, and More

Microsoft held its “Reinventing Productivity with AI” live event today, where the company announced “Microsoft 365 Copilot,” an umbrella term for various features powered by large language models (LLMs).

I fear whenever computers take on the task of creating and summarizing other documents and work. Example: There was a river modeling system program to evaluate flood areas named HEC2 that existed in a “free data” format where engineers would be required to put all data and criteria in to run the program. The program was replaced with an updated HEC-RAS program that had default criteria W/pulldowns and easy data input. The result was it enticed engineers and others not qualified to properly evaluate flood plains mathematically to use the program and just keep pressing buttons until they got an answer out of the program. Now just because an answer came out it doesn’t mean it was the correct answer.

I worry about when we start using computer programs to “replace” the human element professionally. I thank the Lord I am old/retired and won’t have to worry about this. I hope our young use these tools wisely.