Microsoft continues to add new functions for its Copilot generative AI assistant in many of its software products and services. That includes the use of Copilot in its Teams online meeting chat and message service.
Today in a blog post, Microsoft announced a new feature for people writing text messages in Teams chats and meetings. The post first goes over some of the already released Copilot features for Teams. They include Rewrite, which, like the name suggests, can rewrite your message with improvements so that your texts have better clarity and impact.
There"s also Adjust, which can modify your Teams message so it can be more specifically targeted to a co-worker, a friend a family member, and more.
Today, Microsoft also introduces another Copilot writing feature for Teams called Custom Tone. Microsoft says it is an expansion of the Adjust option but offers a custom way to rewrite a message with a prompt that you type in. The blog post states:
With that comes the freedom to ask for multiple changes to be made, which Copilot will complete simultaneously in your rewrite. Do you want to add persuasive language to make your message more compelling? Or add additional context to your tone to give the right impression? Or turn a long sentence into a bulleted list before sharing it with your team? With custom tone, prompting how to change your message gives you the reins to make Copilot work exactly how you want it to.
The Custom Tone feature also lets users type in an open prompt to allow the message to be translated into another language, again with more specific prompts, such as asking Copilot to turn your message into something "longer and cheerful and in Spanish."
If you are having issues trying to come up with the right prompts to use in the Custom Tone Copilot feature in Teams, there"s also a Microsoft Copilot Lab page with suggestions for helpful Copilot prompts.