Microsoft is rolling out a new AI-powered function in Excel that allows users to fill and manipulate spreadsheet data using natural language prompts. The feature, called “COPILOT”, functions similarly to the smart fill capabilities recently added to Google Sheets.
To use the function, users enter a formula such as: “=COPILOT(“Classify this feedback”, D4:D18)” and Excel will output AI-generated content directly into the specified cells. The tool is designed to handle a variety of tasks, such as classifying feedback, summarizing data, or generating text based on structured information.
Examples and Supported Use Cases
Microsoft has shared several sample uses:
- Classify text: =COPILOT(“Classify this feedback”, D4:D18)
- Summarize content: =COPILOT(“Summarize this feedback”, A2:A20)
- Generate descriptions: =COPILOT(“Create a description for this product based on its specs”, B2:B8)
The feature is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4.1-mini model and serves as a successor to the “LABS.GENERATIVEAI” function, which was first tested in Excel in 2023.
Integration and Limitations
The COPILOT function can be used alongside traditional Excel formulas such as IF, SWITCH, LAMBDA, and WRAPROWS, allowing users to build complex workflows that include both AI and logic-based operations.
However, Microsoft has outlined several key limitations:
- The function cannot access information outside of the spreadsheet.
- Users are limited to 100 calculations every 10 minutes.
- The tool should not be used for numerical precision tasks or high-risk applications, such as legal or compliance-related use cases, due to the possibility of inaccurate responses.
Availability
Microsoft states that data processed via the COPILOT function is not used for AI training, and all input remains confidential. The feature is currently available in the Beta Channel for users on Windows and Mac who hold a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Microsoft plans to further refine the COPILOT function by upgrading the underlying model and potentially adding support for web-based data access in future versions.