The short version
Key points
- Copilot in Windows requires the latest Windows update to be enabled.
- It can summarise online articles and answer follow-up questions about the information being researched.
- The assistant can draft, shorten, proofread and adjust the tone of emails and other writing.
- Copilot can help create Excel formulas, stories, images and text extracted from screenshots or photos.
- Clipchamp can use AI to help assemble short videos from supplied media and selected styles and music options.
Research and summarising information
One of the demonstrated uses for Copilot is quickly summarising online material. After providing a link to an article about Wi-Fi 7, the assistant was asked to produce a bullet-point summary. Follow-up questions could then be asked about the page, such as the theoretical maximum speed mentioned in the article.
This approach is intended to reduce the time spent reading through articles, websites and scholarly papers when looking for specific information. The demonstration also highlights the importance of checking the generated response against the original source, particularly when accuracy matters.
Writing emails and documents
Copilot can draft an email from a plain-language request. In the demonstration, it created a project update email explaining that work was behind schedule, along with a subject line. The draft was then shortened to make it more concise.
The assistant can also be asked to make writing more direct or better suited to a preferred style. Other suggested uses include correcting grammar and spelling, and proposing a reply based on an earlier email. In Microsoft Word, Copilot is available within the application to help generate text.
Excel formulas and creative writing
For spreadsheet work, Copilot can provide an Excel formula based on a prompt. The example requested a formula for working out percentages, which produced a formula that could be copied into a spreadsheet cell.
The demonstration also used Copilot to begin a fictional story about a hiker named Jim. The generated story could be copied into Word and extended with further prompts. This is presented as a way to overcome writer’s block and provide a starting point, rather than as a replacement for editing and creative judgement.
Generating images and extracting text
Copilot’s creative mode can generate images from written descriptions. Examples included a Wi-Fi 7 device in a future-retro style, as well as an image featuring Jim and a bear. The generated image could be used as a potential header for an article, subject to the user’s own review and requirements.
The assistant can also work with screenshots. Using the Snipping Tool, text from a photograph can be converted into editable text for copying and pasting. A screenshot of a laptop was also used to identify visible details, including the Acer branding and the displayed wallpaper.
AI video editing and video calls
Clipchamp was used to create a short holiday video from supplied videos. The AI workflow allowed a project name, style preferences and music choices to be selected before exporting. The finished video could be saved or shared through several listed services, including YouTube, TikTok, Google Drive, Dropbox and LinkedIn.
The laptop’s camera software also includes an eye contact feature designed to make the speaker appear to be looking towards the camera during a video call. The demonstration additionally used an AI-assisted voice clean-up feature with the laptop microphone array.
TechManPat’s conclusion
In my view, Copilot can be useful for creators and office workers when it is used to handle tasks such as summarising text, starting a draft, answering contextual questions or polishing content. It helped me move through the writing portion of my work faster and reduced the impact of writer’s block. However, AI is not without quirks, so I recommend checking and proofreading its output before relying on it. Whether it truly 10x your productivity will depend on how regularly these tasks form part of your own workflow.
This knowledge-centre summary is based on the linked TechManPat video and reflects the information available when it was published. Check current pricing, availability and policies before acting.
