**Microsoft’s OneDrive Gets a Brain Boost: AI-Powered Features Transform Cloud Storage**
Microsoft has just rolled out a massive update to OneDrive, infusing it with AI capabilities that rival those of a sci-fi movie’s sentient computer systems. Following the integration of Copilot tools and Anthropic’s Claude chatbot into Office apps, Microsoft is now bestowing these AI superpowers upon your cloud storage service.
**Introducing Copilot for OneDrive: Your AI Sidekick**
The star of the show is Copilot for OneDrive, an AI-powered assistant that floats alongside your files, ready to engage in conversations about your data. It understands plain English commands, allowing you to interact with your files as if they were colleagues. Here’s what Copilot can do:
– **Summarize dense reports** by asking, “What’s the gist of this report?”
– **Extract key points from PDFs** with queries like, “What are the main talking points in this document?”
– **Pull data from images** by asking, “What text can you read from this image?”
– **Answer questions about PowerPoint presentations** using prompts such as, “What are the key action items in this deck?”
– **Transform meeting notes into audio summaries**, providing a hands-free way to review information.
**Beyond AI: Practical Productivity Upgrades**
Microsoft hasn’t stopped at AI enhancements. They’ve also added several practical features to boost productivity:
– **One-click shortcuts** for quick access to frequently used files and folders, eliminating the need to navigate through complex directory structures.
– A **refreshed File Explorer** section that centralizes all shared files, putting an end to the hunt through multiple email chains to find that one elusive spreadsheet.
**Revolutionizing File Sharing with ‘Hero Links’**
OneDrive’s new ‘hero links’ system reimagines file sharing by offering access level customization (viewer, editor, etc.) and an AI-generated summary of the file’s contents before it’s even opened. This feature provides recipients with context and helps them understand the purpose of the shared file.
**Streamlining File Transfers**
For those needing to hand off large sets of files, the new bulk transfer feature enables seamless movement of entire file sets from one owner to another with a single action.
**AI-Powered Search and Mobile Enhancements**
Copilot’s AI search now allows you to find photos and videos by describing them, making it easy to locate that blurry group photo from last year’s holiday party. Additionally, the new Photo Stacks feature on mobile devices combines multiple shots to create a clearer image.
**OneDrive: From Storage Locker to AI-Powered Assistant**
With these updates, OneDrive has graduated from being merely a storage locker to a full-fledged AI-powered assistant. It now not only stores your files but also understands and interacts with them, making it an invaluable tool for productivity and collaboration. As Microsoft continues to integrate AI into its services, we can expect to see more such transformative updates in the future.
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