411568 – Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365): Copilot inference and evaluation policy for Copilot in Teams meetings

Product:

Copilot, Teams

Platform:

Android, iOS, Mac, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

In development

Change type:

Links:

Details:

This policy enables IT admins to block Copilot responses that might infer emotions, make evaluations, discuss personal traits, and use context to deduce answers. When this setting is applied it restricts copilot’s ability to make inferences or evaluations about people or groups when prompted to do so by users. Users cannot disable this setting. The setting applies to Copilot in Teams meetings.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability

Created:
2024-09-10

updated:
2024-10-03

Docu to Check

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MS workload name

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Direct effects for Operations**

User Experience Degradation
Users may experience frustration due to the inability of Copilot to provide personalized responses or insights during Teams meetings, leading to a less engaging and productive meeting environment.
   - roles: End Users, Team Leaders
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2023/03/16/introducing-microsoft-copilot-in-teams/, https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-blog/introducing-microsoft-copilot-in-teams/ba-p/3771230

Reduced Decision-Making Efficiency
The restriction on Copilot's ability to infer or evaluate may slow down decision-making processes during meetings, as users will not receive contextual insights that could aid in discussions.
   - roles: Project Managers, Executives
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2023/03/16/introducing-microsoft-copilot-in-teams/, https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-blog/introducing-microsoft-copilot-in-teams/ba-p/3771230

Configutation Options**

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Data Protection**

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explanation for non-techies**

In the ever-evolving world of technology, it's important to understand how new tools and settings can impact our daily work routines. Recently, Microsoft introduced a new policy for its Copilot feature in Microsoft 365, specifically for Teams meetings. This policy is designed to help IT administrators control how Copilot interacts during these meetings.

Think of Copilot as a helpful assistant in your virtual meetings. Just like a real-life assistant, Copilot can take notes, summarize discussions, and help with various tasks. However, just like you wouldn't want your assistant to make personal comments or assumptions about your colleagues, this new policy ensures that Copilot doesn't either.

Imagine you're in a meeting, and someone asks Copilot to summarize a discussion. Without this policy, Copilot might inadvertently make comments that infer emotions or personal traits about the participants. For example, it might say, "John seemed frustrated when discussing the project deadline." While this might be accurate, it's not always appropriate or helpful in a professional setting.

The new policy allows IT admins to block Copilot from making such inferences or evaluations. This means Copilot will stick to the facts and avoid any comments that could be seen as personal or subjective. It's like setting boundaries for your assistant to ensure they remain professional and neutral.

This setting is applied across all Teams meetings and cannot be turned off by individual users. It's a bit like having a company-wide rule that everyone must follow, ensuring consistency and professionalism in all interactions.

In summary, this new policy for Microsoft Copilot in Teams meetings helps maintain a professional and respectful environment by preventing Copilot from making personal inferences or evaluations. Just as you would guide a human assistant to stay neutral and factual, this policy ensures that Copilot does the same, creating a more comfortable and focused meeting experience for everyone involved.