Published: 16th June 2025

A humanoid robot and an older man in a suit sit side by side on chairs, facing each other. The man holds a coffee cup, and they appear to be engaged in a conversation against a grey, textured wall.

Who’s being left behind in the AI race? And what can we do about it? Microsoft 365 Copilot is evolving fast. In just two years, we’ve gone from the launch of Bing Chat to embedded AI across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. And the pace hasn’t slowed, Wave 2 has landed, complete with audio summaries, meeting catch-ups and document insights designed for the era of agent collaboration.

It’s impressive. But it’s also overwhelming. Because while early adopters dive into prompting, exploring and agent-building, others are quietly falling behind.

Not resistant. Just undersupported.

We ran a recent webinar to unpack the rapid changes in Microsoft 365 Copilot and the standout theme was clear: most people aren’t resisting AI, they’re just underserved.

We found they’re:

  • Time-poor but strategy-rich. Curious about AI, but too busy to experiment.
  • New starters who missed the initial rollout and don’t know where to begin.
  • Low digital confidence users who feel intimidated, not incapable.
  • Sceptics and frustrated users put off by bad outputs or unclear benefits.
  • Non-desk workers for whom tech isn’t a daily priority, but still matters.

These aren’t edge cases. They’re your colleagues, your team members, and if we want Copilot to deliver genuine value, we need to meet them where they are.

A new wave of features for passive users

Screenshot showing instructions for generating audio overviews in OneDrive, with highlighted options for Generate audio overview and Switch to podcast style in right-click menus, and two people on a video call at the top right. This feature streamlines Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption by making it easier for users to interact with and summarise their files directly within OneDrive.

The good news? Wave 2 of Copilot introduces features that don’t require deep prompting or advanced AI literacy. They’re simple, intuitive and designed for real life.

Here are just a few of the highlights we explored:

  • Audio overviews in OneDrive
    Summarise documents, PDFs or meeting recordings with a voiceover. Great for auditory learners, multitaskers or those who absorb better by listening.
  • Word document insights
    Pull out dates, key figures, comments and actions at a glance, so even large collaborative docs are easy to digest.
  • PowerPoint summaries on open
    Instant context, without clicking through 40+ slides.
  • Copilot in Outlook
    Summarise emails and even attachments with one click, ideal for catching up post-leave or scanning for relevance.
  • Meeting recaps in OneDrive
    Missed a meeting? Ask Copilot to generate a summary, transcript, or action list, even if you weren’t there.

There’s no prompting required. No specialist knowledge. Just features that work in the background to help people feel more in control.

Practical steps to re-engage your people

Six colourful paper cut-outs of people holding hands, casting shadows on a grey surface. The figures are arranged in a row, alternating colours, and standing upright with arms raised—symbolising the collaborative spirit essential for successful Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption.
Six colourful paper cut-outs of people holding hands, casting shadows on a grey surface. The figures are arranged in a row, alternating colours, and standing upright with arms raised—symbolising the collaborative spirit essential for successful Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption.

So how do we bring the rest of the organisation along for the ride? Think less ‘deep-dive workshop’, more bite-sized, role-relevant nudges:

  • Run drop-in sessions on new features for specific groups (e.g. new starters, frontline staff).
  • Create short videos that showcase passive features in action.
  • Offer 1:1 guidance or buddy systems for those who feel left behind.
  • Tailor training to role types, one hour for the curious, 30 minutes for the busy.

Most importantly, listen. The best prompts aren’t typed, they’re spoken in team meetings, raised in communities or picked up in quiet moments of hesitation.

Don’t leave people behind

A woman sits at a desk, smiling and taking notes whilst participating in a video call with four people on her laptop, discussing Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. There are plants and bookshelves in the background.
A woman sits at a desk, smiling and taking notes whilst participating in a video call with four people on her laptop, discussing Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. There are plants and bookshelves in the background.

It’s easy to get swept up in AI innovation. But every time we race ahead, we risk widening the gap between the confident and the cautious. Copilot can unlock incredible value, but only if everyone has a fair shot at using it well. Let’s not just lead the charge. Let’s go back, reach out, and bring others with us.

A smiling person with curly hair and a blue jumper sits at a table with hands clasped under their chin, embodying the welcoming spirit of our About Us page; another person and festive bunting appear blurred in the background.

Not sure where to start?

We’re offering free 15-minute 1:1 sessions to help you map out your next Copilot steps. Whether you’ve got questions, blockers or just need a steer.

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