Automation Buzz #6: From Copilot Wonders to Microsoft's Design Magic, OpenAI's Executive Drama and Innovations Worldwide.

Welcome to the 6th edition of our newsletter!

Although we're nearing the end of the year, it's been a penultimate month full of change & innovation in the world of technology.

1. Top news & trends bites; ??

#1: Microsoft Ignite 2023 came with over 100 new updates in the 2 days of the conference.

This year's Ignite 2023 could have been called the "Copilot event" as Microsoft reaffirmed its broad vision for AI, in which the world could benefit from a copilot for everything.

The tech giant unveiled three groundbreaking Copilot offerings—Copilot for Azure, Copilot for Service, and Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides. Additionally, Microsoft introduced Copilot Studio, a platform connecting Copilot for Microsoft 365 to third-party data.

I. Copilot for Azure:

• Azure's integral assistant, Copilot, helps IT teams troubleshoot and configure cloud applications, providing insights through a unified chat experience.
• Users can ask questions and receive actionable suggestions transparently.

II. Copilot for Service:

• Designed for customer service, Copilot integrates with CRM software, including Dynamics 365, Salesforce, and SAP.
• It offers responses to sales-related inquiries, next-step suggestions, and upcoming features such as proactive recommendations.
• Public preview begins in December at $50 per user per month.

III. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides:

• Tailored for frontline workers, Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides, initially in private preview, uses generative AI to summarize information for maintenance tasks.
• Workers can point to components, ask questions, and receive visual instructions on HoloLens 2's heads-up display.

IV. Copilot Studio:

• Aiming to enhance Copilot customization for businesses, Copilot Studio, available in public preview, allows enterprises to connect Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Service to third-party data.
• Businesses can create and publish tailored Copilots for specific scenarios, deploying them on various channels, and managing the end-to-end lifecycle with a capacity-based license.

?? Also, Microsoft Copilot Studio has over 1100+ data connectors from the factory, ready to connect to a wide range of data sources. You can check them out here.

?? Read more exciting news from the conference here.

#2: Microsoft Designer - The company's AI design tool is widely available.

Did you know that Microsoft has developed, in addition to low code drivers and apps, a pretty complex design tool?

Canva's alternative, Microsoft Designer, is available for free as part of Office subscriptions.

Designer comes with a number of features, including:

? Image creator

? Design creator

? Brand kit generator

? Generative Erase

? Remove Background

? Blur background

Do you see a lot of AI images popping up all over LinkedIn these days? If you haven't tried Microsoft Designer yet, I suggest you try it here!

#3: People think AI-generated faces are more real than real photos, according to a study published in the journal Psychological Science.

• Four of the images are synthetic, generated by Nvidia's StyleGAN2 image generator. Can you tell which ones? Answers at bottom of the article.
• In experiments with predominantly white participants, AI-generated white faces were identified as human 66% of the time, surpassing the 51% recognition rate for real faces.
• Notably, this bias didn't extend to people of color, where both AI and real faces were perceived as human in approximately 51% of cases, revealing intriguing nuances in AI perception across racial dimensions.
• Fascinatingly, as people grapple with distinguishing between real and AI-generated faces, researchers have crafted a machine learning system that can accurately detect the correct response in 94% of cases.

#4: OpenAI's Executive Drama: CEO Fired, Rehired, and Microsoft's Strategic Moves.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, faced a rollercoaster week with a sudden firing followed by a surprising reinstatement.

Boardroom Turmoil: Altman's firing was linked to disputes over AI development pace, leading to tension with the board and concerns about transparency.

Microsoft's Play: Microsoft, a major backer of OpenAI, stepped into the scene, with CEO Satya Nadella mediating and eventually offering Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman roles in a new AI research group.

Employee Revolt: OpenAI employees protested the leadership change, demanding Altman's return. Over 500 staff members signed an open letter calling for the board's resignation.

Resolution: Altman is back as OpenAI's CEO, with a new board in place. Microsoft solidifies its influence, emphasizing a path toward more stable governance.

Looking Forward: Altman expressed excitement about returning to OpenAI and building on the strong partnership with Microsoft, while Microsoft sees the board changes as a positive step.

#5: The Most Innovative Countries in 2023.

• Switzerland maintains its position as the world's most innovative country for the thirteenth time, focusing on sound business policies, significant patent applications and a skilled workforce.
• Sweden ranks second, overtaking the US, thanks to achievements in business sophistication, knowledge-based employment and a high number of researchers relative to its population.
• Singapore, ranked fifth in the world, is Asia's innovation leader, with high government efficiency, substantial venture capital and exceptional business stability, and has the highest per capita venture financing in the world.

2. Automation Career Insights; ??

What are the skills that a future programmer needs to develop? What programming languages are employers looking for? Does school prepare children for future fields?

See our colleague's answers to the Code School Clubs interview here.

3.?Bee's Eye View?- #BeeBoops summaries. ??

We're back and with the final episode of season 2 of #BeeBoops.

Are you tired of juggling project details and financials across multiple platforms and getting lost in files? We hear you! ??

Below is a summary of the 10 episodes of this season.

E1: How can you use a leave request automation app built with Power Apps? ?? Full video.

E2: Did you know that you can add charts to Microsoft's Power Apps? ?? Full video.

E3: Modern elements in Power Apps – New feature. ?? Full video.

E4: Did you know that you can turn a simple sketch into a fully functional app using Power Apps? ?? Full video.

E5: Have you ever experienced difficulties bringing data from external APIs into your Power Apps? ?? Full video.

E6: New Power Apps interface 2023. ?? Full video

E7: How to populate a Word template stored in a SharePoint list and send it via email? ?? Full video

E8: How to create a multilingual Canvas app in Power Apps? ?? Full video

E9: How to populate an Excel template stored in a SharePoint list and send it via email? ?? Full video

E10: Master your projects with the Project Management App! ?? Full video

Stay tuned, as we'll be back with the next season, with more exciting episodes containing real automation scenarios.

What have we done lately?

This month, we attended GoTech World 2023, the largest IT and digital business event in Central and Eastern Europe.

At our stand, we went beyond the ordinary – it was a convergence of People AND Robots, working hand in hand as partners in progress.

At the event, we didn't just have conversations with each other, we brought people together in exciting robotic games, encouraging inspiring dialogues and building connections that made us feel joyful and inspired.

?To catch a glimpse of the vibrant moments at our stand, check out some highlights here.

And as promised, we leave you the answer key for the image above. From left to right, top row: 1. Fake, 2. Fake, 3. Real, 4. Fake. From left to right, bottom row: 1. Real, 2. Fake, 3. Real, 4. Real.

Were you able to detect real vs. generated faces?

Thank you for joining us in this edition of Automation Buzz! See you next time! ??