New AI features in Outlook should help schedule meetings

Microsoft has provided Outlook with new functions that are controlled by artificial intelligence (AI). In the coming weeks, three functions will be rolled out to Outlook on the Internet in North America. It is not yet known when the functions will come to Europe.

The first function is Meeting Insights, writes Venturebeat. In this way, Outlook brings up potentially relevant documents and notes the evening before a meeting. It uses Microsoft Graph, a developer program that connects different services, devices and products on Windows, Office 365 and Azure.

After the meeting, Outlook organizes files shared in emails, SharePoint and OneDrive, along with messages exchanged about the meeting and content shared during and after the meeting. This information is also tailored to the user. So people who were present at the same meeting do not necessarily see the same recommendations.

Suggested Reply

Also new is Suggested reply with a meeting, which builds on the existing suggested replies functions. This is a function that suggests three short responses at the bottom of the screen in which a message is created when a response is made in a thread.

Now Outlook also detects it when people want to schedule a meeting. It then automatically offers an option to schedule a meeting. By clicking on it, a meeting form appears on which all kinds of information has already been filled in.

Suggested replies – and therefore also Suggested reply with a meeting – can be enabled in the settings menu in Outlook.

Smart time suggestions

The last functions are Smart time suggestions and Suggest locations. Smart time suggestions provide suggestions for days and times when all attendees have time to meet each other. Suggest locations offers locations to meet each other, customized to the preferences of the user. The information also includes addresses, opening hours and contact information.