In a test, Copilot showed it can be helpful for office work. It can summarize long emails and write responses. It can make presentations from a Word document and summarize what was talked about in Microsoft Teams meetings. But, it has some problems. It might not understand some things you ask it to do or know who is who in meetings. You can use Copilot for $30 a month, but you need an internet connection.
Some people don't like this kind of AI technology. They think it could cause problems in office jobs and make people too dependent on AI helpers. They are worried about things going wrong, like mistakes or security problems. They also think it's important for people to say when they are using something made by AI.
Original news source: Microsoft's new AI assistant can go to meetings for you (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of words related to the article (e.g. Microsoft, office apps, AI, meetings, emails, documents). One person from each group will act out a word without speaking, and the other members of the group have to guess what word it is. The group with the most correct guesses wins.
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. They should try to include key information such as the name of the new Microsoft helper, its features, the concerns people have, and the results of the test. After each summary, the partner can ask questions to clarify any points they didn't understand.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. Microsoft, Copilot, AI, jobs, dependent, rules). Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team comes to the board and draws a picture to represent one of the words. Their team members have to guess the word based on the drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group discusses the pros and cons of using AI helpers like Microsoft 365 Copilot in office work. They should consider the advantages, such as increased productivity and efficiency, as well as the disadvantages, such as job loss and dependence on technology. After the discussion, each group presents their ideas to the class.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns making predictions about the future of AI helpers in the workplace. They can discuss how these helpers might evolve, the impact they may have on different industries, and the potential challenges and benefits they may bring. After each prediction, the partner can share their thoughts and add their own predictions.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a new helper made by Microsoft that is part of their office apps.
Microsoft 365 Copilot can go to meetings for you, summarize long emails, write responses, make presentations, and do other office tasks quickly.
Some people are worried that Microsoft 365 Copilot could take away jobs and make people too dependent on AI helpers. They are also concerned that it might not follow new rules about AI and not clearly indicate when something was made by a person or by AI.
In a test, Copilot showed that it can be helpful for office work. It can summarize emails, write responses, and make presentations from a Word document. It can also summarize what was talked about in Microsoft Teams meetings.
Some problems that Copilot has are that it might not understand some things you ask it to do and it might not know who is who in meetings.
It costs $30 a month to use Copilot, but you need an internet connection.
Some people do not like this kind of AI technology because they think it could cause problems in office jobs, make people too dependent on AI helpers, and they are worried about mistakes or security problems. They also believe it is important for people to say when they are using something made by AI.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Microsoft is making a new helper called Microsoft 365 Copilot. It will be part of Microsoft's apps and can do things like go to meetings for you and tell you what was talked about. It can also write , documents, graphs, and presentations quickly. But, some people are worried it could take away and make people too dependent on AI helpers. They also worry it might not follow new rules about AI because it doesn't say clearly when something was made by a person or by AI. In a test, Copilot showed it can be for office work. It can summarize long emails and write . It can make from a Word document and summarize what was talked about in Microsoft Teams . But, it has some problems. It might not some things you ask it to do or know who is who in meetings. You can use Copilot for $30 a month, but you need an internet connection. Some people don't like this kind of AI technology. They think it could cause in office jobs and make people too dependent on AI helpers. They are about things going , like mistakes or security problems. They also think it's important for people to say when they are using something made by AI.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?
2. How would you feel if you had a helper like Microsoft 365 Copilot for your office work?
3. Do you think Microsoft 365 Copilot could take away jobs? Why or why not?
4. Do you like the idea of being dependent on AI helpers? Why or why not?
5. What problems did Copilot have in the test?
6. How do you think Copilot could be helpful for office work?
7. Do you think it's worth paying $30 a month for Copilot? Why or why not?
8. Why do some people not like this kind of AI technology?
9. How do you think AI helpers could cause problems in office jobs?
10. What worries do people have about using AI helpers like Copilot?
11. Do you think it's important to know when something was made by AI? Why or why not?
12. How do you think AI helpers like Copilot could affect the security of office work?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!
