Microsoft warns against picking AI tools by performance alone for data work

The post highlights recent updates to Copilot, which now performs tasks like Python-based analysis and Excel visualization, shifting from passive querying to active execution. Microsoft stresses that enterprise use requires evaluating data protection, compatibility with existing systems, and internal rules beyond raw capability. For example, Copilot for Microsoft 365 avoids training on user data but inherits sensitivity labels and retention policies. The author also notes Japan’s shortage of AX evangelists—experts who guide AI adoption across organizations—urging a shift from comparing tools to deciding how and where to deploy them.

The piece blends personal experience with insights from the AX Evangelist Course, framing AI as a tool to reallocate human effort toward decision-making rather than task replacement.