Microsoft has announced that it will remove AI functionality from Loop in late May, specifically Copilot-generated Recaps. This will remove AI-generated recap creation, but retain manual recap editing. This is a pretty unusual move for Microsoft, which has been cramming AI everywhere; perhaps it is a sign of things to come?
The Redmond giant said that this change will be on by default, affects everyone, and cannot be reversed. With that said, it won’t affect other Copilot features, and no admin action is needed. Details of the change are on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under Message ID MC1267976.
The company is making this change to simplify the Recap experience by focusing on manual creation and editing. It said this will enable continued investment in other Copilot capabilities across Microsoft 365. To be clear, this removal only affects Copilot-generated Recaps, but not other Copilot features in Microsoft Loop.
Customers will start to notice the retirement of Copilot Recaps in Loop early next month. It should then be completed by late May. You will know if you’ve been affected because the Recap entry point will say “Recap your changes” rather than “Recap your changes with AI”. The AI sparkle icon will also be removed.
If your organization has been using this feature and you think you’ll be negatively affected, you should update internal training or help documentation to remove references to Copilot Recaps in Loop. You can also let helpdesk staff know so they can address potential user questions.
Microsoft has not shared any particular reason for making this change, but it did reshuffle leadership of M365 recently, and this could be their decision. Microsoft has also said that it"s going to improve Windows 11 pain points; perhaps the removal of Copilot Recaps is an extension of this streamlining.