Swiss Re is planning to increase adoption of Copilot for Microsoft 365 across its workforce following a successful rollout to 3,000 workers in its organisation.
The AI-powered assistant Copilot for Microsoft 365 was deployed at Swiss Re in May this year and it has already enhanced productivity and streamlined company operations, according to a Microsoft press release.
Swiss Re describes itself as one of the world’s leading insurance providers and it has had a longstanding partnership with the US tech giant.
In April, for example, Swiss Re introduced its Life Guide Scout AI underwriting tool, which took advantage of the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to provided AI-generated support for underwriters.
Ralph Haupter, President of Microsoft EMEA, outlined a few of the ways that he believes Copilot has strengthened the Swiss Re: “At Microsoft, we are dedicated to empowering organisations with the latest technology to drive efficiency and innovation.
“Our collaboration with Swiss Re demonstrates how generative AI can be securely integrated into the workflows of highly regulated industries, ensuring data security and confidentiality.”
‘The Power of Smart AI Deployment’
According to Microsoft, the successful implementation of Copilot at Swiss Re demonstrates “the power of smart AI deployment” in increasing operational efficiency and upskilling workforces within highly regulated industries.
Beyond this, Copilot for Microsoft 365 can also enable greater employee creativity, reduce repetitive manual tasks and assist in decision-making.
For all these reasons, the tech giant claims that this deployment is the perfect example of how “generative AI can drive innovation in sectors where data security and confidentiality are crucial”.
This initiative reportedly follows on from Swiss Re’s successful trial of Copilot as part of the Microsoft Early Access Program in August 2023.
Copilot has now been integrated throughout the Swiss insurer’s organisation, which includes its HR and communications departments, as well as within the central aspects of its business.
Having completed a six-month “service curation period”, Swiss Re has had the opportunity to see the benefits that Copilot can bring. As a result, the company is in a position to look towards a broader rollout across its organisation.
Copilot uses large language models (LLMs), Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Graph data from email, chats, documents, meetings, and calendars to provide real-time AI assistance.
Pravina Ladva, Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Swiss Re, offered some insights from its own perspective into its experience of deploying Copilot: “We are excited to partner with Microsoft to embed AI assistants into our digital workplace.
“Our cautious deployment ensures safe, valuable, and compliant implementation, while maintaining rigorous data security standards.
“With Copilot for Microsoft 365, we’re empowering our colleagues with advanced tools to increase efficiency and spark creativity.
“At Swiss Re, we’re firmly committed to continuously upskilling our workforce and integrating cutting-edge technology.”
Last week, UC Today’s Rob Scott, alongside Kevin Kieller, Co-Founder and Lead Analyst at enableUC, and a special guest, explored the productivity gains that could be unlocked with Microsoft Copilot.
In May, Microsoft Copilot was updated with OpenAI’s latest model ‘GPT-4o’ for a new line of PCs called Copilot+ PCs.
GPT-4o (the ‘o’ is for ‘omni’) enables people to interact via voice, video, and text within the same model.
