Microsoft Copilot is a new feature in Power BI that leverages advanced generative AI to help users uncover and share insights faster. In this post, I will explain what Copilot is and how it works in Power BI, how to leverage Copilot in Power BI for business productivity, and why business leaders should adopt Microsoft Copilot for Power BI. Copilot is already in Power BI and nowadays, it is possible to develop DAX functions using plain language. Extended functionalities will be available in the next few months.

What Is Copilot and How Does it Work in Power BI?

Copilot is a feature within Microsoft Power BI that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance data analysis and visualization experience. It serves as an intelligent assistant, leveraging natural language processing and machine learning capabilities to assist users in creating reports, generating insights, and exploring their data. With Copilot, users can simply describe the visuals and insights that they’re looking for, and Copilot will do the rest.

Copilot in Power BI is currently in private preview and it has not been released to the public yet. As of August 2023, Copilot is still in the testing phase. Some of Copilot’s functionality is currently available in Power BI. Simply click on Quick measure and try typing something using natural language.

An example of Copilot in action within Power BI

Bear in mind that Copilot’s output will only be as good as your data is. As such, data governance and data quality play a critical role in Copilot’s performance.

How to Leverage Copilot in Power BI for Business Productivity

Copilot can help businesses improve their productivity by providing quick access to insights that would otherwise take hours, or even days, to generate manually. Here are three ways businesses can leverage Copilot in Power BI:

Automate report generation: With Copilot, businesses can automate report generation by simply describing the visuals they need. Copilot will analyze the data loaded into the data model and pull the right information into a functional report. Generate insights: Copilot can help businesses generate insights by suggesting relevant questions based on the data being analyzed. This prompts users to explore their data and uncover valuable patterns, trends, and correlations. Real-time analytics: With Copilot, businesses can stay ahead of the competition with swift visualization and data-driven decision-making.

Final Thoughts

Decision makers should consider the adoption of Microsoft Copilot in Power BI because it provides a powerful tool for unlocking the full value of data. By leveraging advanced generative AI, businesses can automate report generation, generate insights, and stay ahead of the competition with real-time analytics, just by using natural language to generate reports and extract insights. Specifically, adopting Microsoft Copilot can help users:

Save time: One of the biggest benefits of using Copilot is that it saves time. By automating report generation and providing insights in a timely manner, businesses can make decisions faster. Improve accuracy: With Copilot’s advanced AI capabilities, businesses can be sure that their reports are accurate and reliable.

Increase efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks such as report generation, businesses can free up their employees’ time to focus on more important tasks.

Provide valuable insights: With its ability to generate insights quickly and accurately, Copilot provides valuable information that can help businesses make better decisions. Easy to use: With its natural language interface, managers can easily create reports and gain insights without diving deep into technicalities.

Save money: By automating repetitive tasks such as report generation, businesses can save money on labor costs.

Microsoft Copilot is a powerful tool that can help businesses improve their productivity by providing quick access to insights that would otherwise take hours or days to generate manually.