MC1060845 – New Service Plan: People Skills – Foundation (archived)

Product:

Copilot, Delve, Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 suite, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Viva Insights, Microsoft Viva Learning, Workplace Analytics

Platform:

Developer, Online, Web, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

Change type:

User impact, Admin impact

Links:

MC1060842

Details:

Summary:
A new service plan, People Skills - Foundation, will be added to Microsoft 365 licenses, enabling AI-powered skills-based experiences. It helps identify skill gaps and promotes upskilling. The rollout begins in late May 2025, and organizations can launch it starting late June. Ensure the service plan is enabled.

Details:
You will soon see a new service plan associated with your Microsoft 365 Copilot or Viva license: People Skills - Foundation (PEOPLE_SKILLS_FOUNDATION). A new service plan, People Skills - Foundation, will be added to your Microsoft 365 or Office 365 license. This service plan enables you to set up People Skills, an AI-powered service that delivers personalized skills-based experiences across Microsoft 365. Using advanced inferencing, it helps organizations identify skill gaps and promote upskilling. With People Skills, individuals can easily share a current view of their skills and more easily connect with others. People Skills data enriches people-based experiences in Microsoft 365 Copilot and in the Microsoft 365 profile card and editor. Review MC1060842 to learn more about People Skills in our General Availability announcement.
[When this will happen:]
We will begin rolling late May 2025.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:

Created:
2025-04-24

updated:
2025-04-29

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Preperations

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MS Urgency

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linked item details

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summary for non-techies**

Microsoft 365's new service plan, People Skills - Foundation, uses AI to automatically identify and catalog employee skills based on their activity within the platform, helping organizations map out workforce talents and address skill gaps efficiently.

Direct effects for Operations**

User Experience Disruption
If the People Skills - Foundation service plan is enabled without proper preparation, users may experience confusion and frustration due to unexpected changes in their Microsoft 365 interface and functionalities, leading to decreased productivity.
   - roles: End Users, Team Leaders
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/announcing-people-skills-general-availability-and-new-skills-agent/4406364

Skill Gap Misidentification
Without adequate training and communication regarding the new AI-powered skill inferencing, organizations may misidentify skill gaps, leading to ineffective upskilling initiatives and resource misallocation.
   - roles: HR Managers, Training Coordinators
   - references: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2313228&clcid=0x409

Increased Support Requests
The introduction of the People Skills service plan may lead to a surge in support requests from users unfamiliar with the new features, overwhelming IT support teams and delaying response times for other issues.
   - roles: IT Support Staff, System Administrators
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/announcing-people-skills-general-availability-and-new-skills-agent/4406364

Configutation Options**

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Opportunities**

Enhanced Employee Development Programs
The People Skills - Foundation service plan allows organizations to identify skill gaps and promote targeted upskilling. This can lead to tailored training programs that align with both individual career goals and organizational needs, enhancing employee satisfaction and retention.
   - next-steps: Conduct a skills gap analysis using the People Skills insights to identify key areas for development. Collaborate with HR to create customized training programs based on the findings.
   - roles: HR Managers, Training Coordinators, Team Leaders
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/announcing-people-skills-general-availability-and-new-skills-agent/4406364

Improved Talent Management and Recruitment
With the insights provided by People Skills, organizations can better understand their talent landscape, identifying strengths and weaknesses. This can enhance recruitment strategies by targeting specific skill sets needed for future projects.
   - next-steps: Utilize the People Skills data to refine job descriptions and recruitment criteria. Train hiring managers on how to leverage these insights during the recruitment process.
   - roles: Recruitment Managers, Talent Acquisition Specialists, HR Directors
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/announcing-people-skills-general-availability-and-new-skills-agent/4406364

Streamlined Collaboration and Networking
People Skills facilitates connections among employees by allowing them to share their skills and expertise. This can enhance collaboration across departments and promote a culture of knowledge sharing.
   - next-steps: Encourage employees to update their skills profiles and promote the use of the platform for cross-departmental projects. Organize networking events or workshops to leverage these connections.
   - roles: Project Managers, Team Leaders, Department Heads
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/announcing-people-skills-general-availability-and-new-skills-agent/4406364

Potentional Risks**

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Data Protection**

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IT Security**

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Hypothetical Work Council Statement**

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DPIA Draft**

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explanation for non-techies**

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