Microsoft Teams to get real time language interpretation, note-taking agent, and quick summaries of files

Another tool is the Facilitator agent that takes notes during Teams meetings and chats [File]
| Photo Credit: AP

Microsoft, during its Ignite 2024 event, announced a range of generative AI-powered features that will be coming to MS Teams as well as other professional offerings, in order to assist users on a highly personal level – just like “agents.”

One major feature that is coming to the MS Teams video conferencing platform is an interpretation feature so that users will be able to “speak” another language, in their own voice, during meetings in real time.

“Imagine being able to sound just like you in a different language. The Interpreter agent in Teams provides real-time speech-to-speech interpretation during meetings, and you can opt to have it simulate your speaking voice for a more personal and engaging experience. Public preview coming in early 2025,” said Microsoft in a blog post.

In addition to this, Copilot in Teams will make sense of visual content that is shared on the screen, as well as the meeting’s transcript and chat. According to Microsoft, Copilot will be able to “understand, recap, and answer questions based on visual content shared onscreen,” as well as provide summaries of shared files so that you can understand the contents without opening them.

The public preview of the feature is scheduled for early 2025.

Another tool is the Facilitator agent that takes notes during Teams meetings and chats.

Meanwhile, the AI-powered location insights feature in Teams and Outlook with Copilot, enabled via Microsoft Places, will help align employees’ in-office plans and locations to help them meet up at work.