One of the most common barriers we see isn’t the technology itself, it’s knowing what to ask. Many people feel like they need to write the “perfect prompt” to get value from AI.

But the reality is, you don’t need to start there.

In the new Outlook, a feature called Copilot Suggestions is designed to make things easier. Instead of relying on you to craft the right prompt, it builds one for you behind the scenes, helping you get immediate value without overthinking it.

What are Copilot Suggestions?

Copilot Suggestions are built-in options that appear when you open an email in the new Outlook.

When you hover over the Copilot icon, you’ll see actions such as:

• Summarise
• Summarise and reply
• Show key takeaways

At first glance, these look like shortcuts. But in reality, each option is powered by a carefully structured prompt that Copilot generates automatically. That means you’re not just clicking a button, you’re triggering a well-written AI instruction that tells Copilot exactly what to do and how to present the result.

Why this matters

For many people, AI can feel like another thing to learn on top of an already busy workload.

Copilot Suggestions removes that effort by:

• Taking away the need to think about prompts
• Providing fast, structured outputs
• Helping you feel confident that you’re using AI “correctly”

Instead of experimenting or guessing what might work, you’re guided towards useful actions that fit naturally into your day.

This is where we start to see the real shift, from learning about AI to actually using it.

A practical example: handling long email threads

Most of us have opened an email thread and felt immediately overwhelmed.

Multiple replies, different opinions, scattered updates—and no clear answer to what actually matters.

This is where Copilot Suggestions can make an immediate difference.

How to use it:

1. Open an email thread in Outlook
2. Hover over the Copilot icon
3. Select “Show key takeaways”

In seconds, Copilot will:

• Provide a clear summary of the conversation
• Highlight important timelines
• Identify key decisions
• Pull out action items (if there are any)

Instead of reading through multiple messages, you get a concise, structured view of what’s important.

What’s happening behind the scenes

When you click a Copilot suggestion, it’s doing more than it appears.

Behind the interface, Copilot is constructing a prompt that includes instructions such as:

• Start with a concise summary
• Highlight key insights
• Identify timelines
• Extract actions (only if they exist)

This is exactly the type of prompt many people struggle to create on their own.

What Copilot Suggestions does so effectively is remove that barrier and provide it for you automatically.

Learning by doing

One of the biggest benefits of this feature is that it helps you learn without effort.

By using Copilot Suggestions regularly, you begin to notice:

• How information is structured
• What makes a good output
• How AI interprets your requests

Over time, this builds your confidence and understanding, even if you’re not consciously “learning prompting”.

It’s a more natural way to develop capability, by using the tool in real situations rather than trying to master it upfront.

Where this fits in everyday work

Copilot Suggestions isn’t about changing how you work, it’s about improving the way you already use Outlook.

You can use it to:

• Get up to speed quickly on long email threads
• Understand messages before responding
• Reduce the mental load of processing information
• Avoid missing important actions
• Save time across your day

Even small time savings become significant when applied consistently.

Do you need a Copilot license?

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked.

Copilot Suggestions can be available in environments without a full Microsoft 365 Copilot license, depending on your setup.

The key difference to understand is:

• Without a license, Copilot works with the content you’re viewing
• With a license, it can also use broader organisational context like emails, files, and meetings

However, from an adoption perspective, this feature is a great place to start. It allows you to experience the benefits of Copilot in a simple, low-effort way, without needing to change how you work.

Why this is important for adoption

From a people and change perspective, this feature highlights something important:

Technology on its own doesn’t drive value, usage does.

Copilot Suggestions works because:

• It’s embedded in a familiar tool
• It requires no new skills
• It delivers immediate results
• It builds confidence over time

Final thoughts

Copilot Suggestions may seem like a small feature, but it represents a bigger shift in how we interact with technology.

AI is becoming more intuitive. Instead of expecting us to adapt to it, it’s starting to adapt to how we already work.

If you’re unsure where to start with Copilot, join our ‘Be Future Ready’ Copilot workshop. Ideal for people wanting to learn more about Copilot, Leaders or Early Adopters.

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