OpenAI’s ChatGPT leads the consumer AI assistant market, but no single player yet dominates the enterprise AI assistant market. Microsoft’s 365 Copilot and Google’s Gemini aim to capture this market with features for workplace scenarios.
The UK Government’s Government Digital Service (GDS) has published the results of a trial involving 20,000 civil servants. The trial aimed to study the impact of AI assistants by providing Microsoft 365 Copilot access to these civil servants across 12 different organizations.
On average, participants in the trial saved 26 minutes per day when using Microsoft 365 Copilot, which equates to nearly two weeks of time annually. Additionally, over 70% of users reported that Copilot reduced the time spent searching for information and performing routine tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value activities. Furthermore, 82% of participants indicated they would prefer not to return to their pre-Copilot working conditions.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle highlighted the following during his keynote at SXSW today:
"These findings show that AI isn’t just a future promise – it’s a present reality. Whether it’s helping draft documents, preparing lesson plans, or cutting down on routine admin, AI tools are saving civil servants time every day. That means we can focus more on delivering faster, more personalized support where it really counts."
The results are beneficial not only for Microsoft but also for all participants in the AI market. While industry discussions often focus on specific benchmarks and the capabilities of cutting-edge models, it is crucial to prioritize broadening access to existing AI models for users. Tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot facilitate this by integrating seamlessly within the productivity tools already utilized by millions of users worldwide.
You can read the complete report from the UK government here.
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