13 Platform Integration

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot represents Microsoft’s AI assistant ecosystem, deeply integrated across the company’s suite of products and services. Unlike standalone generative AI chatbots, Copilot is designed to work seamlessly within familiar Microsoft applications. This integrated approach makes it particularly valuable for organisations that have already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem (Office 365). In addition, it allows organisations to take advantage of documents and information already stored within their environment (while inheriting existing security and compliance requirements).

Microsoft offers several distinct Copilot experiences, each tailored to different use cases and integration points. The flagship Microsoft 365 Copilot integrates across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, enabling AI-powered assistance within these applications. Integration offers users the ability to generate, edit, and analyse content without leaving their familiar applications. The integration between applications holds promise for greater productivity for those who heavily rely on document creation and collaboration.

Demo

Watch this introductory video that takes a tour of the Microsoft 365 Copilot Application.

Key Offerings

Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft’s premium AI offering integrates directly with Office applications. The system can draft emails in Outlook, create presentations in PowerPoint, analyse data in Excel, and assist with document creation in Word. For legal practitioners, this means AI assistance is available wherever work occurs, such as in contracts, briefs, correspondence, and case analysis spreadsheets.

Key features include:

• Context-aware document drafting and editing
• Email composition and response suggestions
• Meeting transcription and summary generation in Teams
• Data analysis and visualisation in Excel
• Integration with SharePoint and OneDrive for document management

Copilot Chat

Probably the most familiar, Copilot chat is a familiar chatbot interface where users can engage with Microsoft’s generative AI system. In this environment, users can engage with the large language model to create text and images. The chat can be engaged with either on the web or within specific applications, like Outlook or Teams.

Copilot Pro

A consumer-focused subscription service that provides access to Copilot across Microsoft 365 applications for individual users. This tier offers faster performance during peak usage times and early access to new features. Stats include:

• Access to GPT-4 Turbo for improved performance
• Priority access during high-traffic periods
• Integration with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions
• Image generation capabilities through Designer

Copilot in Windows

Copilot is also Integrated directly into Windows 11. This version provides system-level AI assistance for file management, application launching, and general productivity tasks. While less specialised for legal work, it can assist with document organisation and system navigation.

Copilot Studio

The studio is a platform for creating custom AI solutions within the Microsoft ecosystem, allowing organisations to build specialised assistants tailored to their specific legal practice needs and internal processes.

Technical Specifications and Capabilities

Microsoft Copilot is built on a foundation of large language models, primarily leveraging OpenAI’s GPT models through Microsoft’s partnership. The system benefits from Microsoft’s extensive cloud infrastructure and robust security protocols, which can help address some common data protection concerns in organisations.

Context awareness represents a significant advantage, as Copilot can access relevant information from within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem while respecting pre-existing document permissions and security boundaries. For legal practices, this means the AI can reference previous documents and files (where appropriate access exists) to provide more contextualised assistance. The integration extends to Microsoft’s security and compliance framework, including features like:

• Data residency controls
• Advanced threat protection
• Information governance policies
• Audit trail capabilities

Legal Practice Applications

Microsoft Copilot’s strength lies in its integration with existing workflows. Legal professionals can leverage Copilot for:

• Document Creation and Review: Within Word, Copilot can assist with drafting contracts, legal memoranda, and correspondence while maintaining consistent formatting and language standards across the firm.
• Email Management: Outlook integration enables AI-powered email composition, response suggestions, and message summarisation, potentially improving client communication efficiency.
• Data Analysis: Excel integration can facilitate case data analysis, financial calculations, and deadline tracking, providing valuable insights that would otherwise require manual analysis.
• Meeting Management: Teams integration provides automatic transcription, meeting summaries, and action item extraction, which are valuable for client meetings and internal case discussions.
• Research Organisation: Integration with SharePoint and OneDrive enables AI-powered document organisation and retrieval, potentially improving knowledge management across the practice.

Watch

Watch this introduction to a familiar use case in legal practice, created with generative AI, which compares contracts.

Considerations for Legal Practice

Data Security: Microsoft’s enterprise-grade security infrastructure and compliance certifications may address concerns about data protection. The company offers detailed information about data handling, storage location, and access controls.

Integration Benefits: For practices already using Microsoft 365, Copilot represents an extension of existing tools rather than requiring adoption of entirely new platforms.

Workflow Disruption: Unlike standalone AI tools, Copilot’s integration minimises the need to switch between applications, potentially maintaining focus and workflow.

Microsoft Copilot represents a compelling option for organisations seeking generative AI assistance without departing from established Microsoft-based workflows. Its strength lies in bringing AI capabilities directly to the point of work, though this integration comes with the trade-offs inherent in any ecosystem-specific solution.

Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence represents Apple’s approach to integrating AI assistance across its ecosystem of devices and applications. Launched as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple Intelligence distinguishes itself through a privacy-first architecture that prioritises on-device processing and user data protection. For legal professionals who rely heavily on Apple devices, this platform offers AI assistance while maintaining the security and privacy standards that legal practices require.

Unlike cloud-based AI services, Apple Intelligence employs a hybrid approach that performs many AI operations directly on the user’s device, with selective use of Apple’s Private Cloud Compute for more complex tasks. This architecture addresses one of the primary concerns legal professionals have about AI adoption: maintaining confidentiality and control over sensitive client information.

Apple Intelligence integrates across the Apple ecosystem, appearing within familiar applications like Mail, Messages, Notes, Safari, and Siri. This integration approach enables users to access AI assistance within their existing workflows without requiring the adoption of new platforms or significant changes to established practices.

However, Apple Intelligence requires specific hardware to support on-device AI processing, which limits its availability to Apple’s more recent and powerful devices.

Demo

Core Apple Intelligence Features

Writing Tools

Available system-wide across Apple applications, Writing Tools provide AI-powered assistance for text creation, editing, and refinement. These tools appear in any text field and include:

• Rewrite: Offers alternative versions of text with different tones (professional, friendly, concise)
• Proofread: Identifies and suggests corrections for grammar, word choice, and sentence structure
• Summarise: Condenses lengthy text into key points, paragraphs, or bullet points
• Key Points: Extracts main ideas from complex documents or communications

Watch

For legal practice, Writing Tools can assist with client correspondence, document drafting, and case note preparation while maintaining a consistent professional tone and clarity.

Mail and Message Intelligence

AI integration in Apple’s communication applications provides:

• Priority Messages: Automatic identification and surfacing of urgent communications
• Thoughtful Reply: Context-aware response suggestions
• Message Summarisation: Quick summaries of lengthy email threads or message conversations
• Time-Sensitive Detection: Automatic identification of time-critical communications

Focus and Notification Intelligence

Apple Intelligence enhances the Focus system to manage professional attention:

• Intelligent Interruptions: AI determines which notifications warrant immediate attention
• Contextual Awareness: Understanding of calendar events, locations, and activities to adjust notification behaviour
• Professional Mode: Enhanced filtering for work-related communications and alerts

Privacy Architecture and Security

Apple Intelligence’s privacy-first design addresses critical concerns for legal professionals:

• On-Device Processing: Many AI operations occur entirely on the user’s device, ensuring that sensitive information never leaves the hardware.
• Private Cloud Compute: For more complex tasks that require additional computational power, Apple utilises Private Cloud Compute, which leverages custom Apple silicon in its cloud infrastructure and maintains end-to-end encryption throughout the process.
• No Data Retention: Apple’s architecture ensures that data processed through Apple Intelligence is not retained, logged, or used for model training, addressing key confidentiality concerns.

Legal Practice Applications

Apple Intelligence could assist with tasks such as:

• Text Summarisation: Quick extraction of key points from lengthy documents
• Writing Enhancement: Professional tone refinement for communications and documents
• Error Detection: Grammar and clarity improvements in writing
• Enhanced mail and messaging support: Automatic surfacing of urgent communications, response suggestions and summarisation of complex email chains
• Calendar and Scheduling Intelligence: Enhanced calendar identification of scheduling conflicts and priorities

Apple Intelligence offers a compelling AI solution for individuals and organisations prioritising privacy and security while seeking productivity enhancements within the Apple ecosystem. Its on-device processing architecture addresses key confidentiality concerns, while system-wide integration enhances existing workflows without requiring adoption of new platforms. However, the hardware requirements and ecosystem dependency require careful consideration of technology strategy and investment planning.