Get AI ready: Inside the Copilot Learning Hub

Microsoft

Sep 24, 2024

As we were building the Copilot learning hub on Microsoft Learn earlier this year, I realized how much Copilot was changing the way so many people—from my 78-year-old father to my teammates—complete daily tasks. I had first-hand insight into how, as an AI companion, Copilot enables us to be more creative and more efficient across a broad range of activities.

When Microsoft released Copilot in March 2023, our customers had questions. They wanted to know how they could use Copilot to be more productive at work and in their personal lives. They were curious how to use Copilot within Microsoft 365 applications, like Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and how to leverage Copilot for developers, data scientists, and security professionals.

To answer these questions and more, we created the Copilot learning hub in May 2024. I recently asked Dona Sarkar and Dan Wahlin, Microsoft Principal Cloud Advocates—and members of the learning hub team—to share some of their stories about creating this powerful resource.

The Copilot learning hub is “designed to meet learners wherever they are along their learning and adoption journey,” said Dona, “from understanding and using copilots, to customizing them with their own data, and, finally, building their own copilot.” The learning hub caters to technical audiences and ensures that each learner accesses content that is tailored to their learning goals. These resources augment the content available on the AI learning hub, which is designed for both technical and non-technical learners.

These goals are grouped into four task-based Microsoft Learn Official Collections—understand, adopt, extend, and build – providing content specific to each stage of the learning journey. Each collection contains a variety of training modules, documentation, and videos. Learners can even access content that is applicable to specific tech roles, such as administrators, data analysts, and developers.

One learner favorite on the hub is the video library, which provides Copilot instructional content and customer use cases. According to Dan Wahlin: “People love to see what's possible and the benefits from using a copilot, so our videos focus on that angle. We show how a copilot makes both personal and work life easier and more productive, how creativity is enhanced, and how people can get started and immediately experience these benefits themselves.”

Dona adds that the videos demonstrate the diverse applications of Copilot across Microsoft products and services. “People share their favorite Copilot use cases and how they leverage Copilot in various scenarios,” she said. “This approach makes the content more relatable and engaging by featuring stories from a wide range of professionals.”

Check out this video to learn how cultural shifts and human factors play a crucial role in the successful implementation of AI technology like Copilot.

Dona shared her own story about how learning a new programming language has changed now that she can rely on Copilot to assist her with her learning. Recently, she used GitHub Copilot as a coding coach to learn Python after working in C# for 20 years. Dona recalls it took her a full year to learn JavaScript years ago, but only one month to learn Python using Copilot. “That’s a real game changer. Imagine how Copilot can help expert and novice programmers alike gain new skills and do their jobs better,” she said. This is the true promise of the Copilot learning hub—putting expert content to work for you so you can excel using Copilot.

With all the excitement around Copilot, we continue to provide new resources for learners. “We've received great feedback on the Copilot learning hub from learners. They've expressed how they appreciate the comprehensive resources and real-world examples available,” Dan said. “They've also provided us with great feedback that we're consistently applying to continue to take the Copilot learning hub to the next level.”

Erica Woods, Director of Contractor Programs & Philanthropy and Principal at Apex Systems in Tampa, FL, has completed several modules and videos showcased on the learning hub. "I appreciate several things in the Copilot learning hub,” Erica said, “including insights on different ways to apply the technology that are easy to build directly into my day-to-day, the bite-sized chunks the training segments are delivered in, demo-style learning, the fun and conversational style of the videos, and the variety of topics included.”

So, what’s next? These are some new resources you can expect to see in the coming months, each designed to further streamline your workflow and enhance your Copilot experience:

In the weeks leading up to Microsoft Ignite, you’ll see new content on the “agentification” of Copilot. What are agents? They are copilots that can act independently, triggered by events—not just conversation—enabling you to automate and orchestrate complex, long-running business processes with less human intervention. For example, an “order taker” copilot can handle the end-to-end order fulfillment process—from taking the order, to processing the order and making intelligent recommendations and substitutions for out-of-stock items, to shipping to the customer.
We are also working on stories showcasing how Microsoft customers and partners are helping their customers use Copilot, particularly in specialized industries like finance, manufacturing, and others.

Coming up: Get AI ready: Discover AI skill-building with Microsoft Training Services Partners

In our next Get AI ready blog, discover how Microsoft Training Services Partners (TSPs) are helping organizations worldwide build AI skills and stay competitive. Learn about the benefits of AI-powered tools and services, and how TSPs provide customized training plans to ensure your teams are AI-ready. Read inspiring stories from Sulava and Skillsoft and find out how they are transforming businesses with AI. Don't miss out on this opportunity to upskill your workforce and drive innovation.