That is a good thought but first ask yourself a few simple questions and see if you can find the answers to them.

• What do you mean by Digitization/Digitalization?
• What do you mean by AI?
• Which Copilot do you mean? (After all, there are a number to choose from)
• What concrete needs do you actually have and what do you want to solve?
• Are agents expected to solve everything or can it simply be some well-defined workflows that you can build some solutions for?
• Is your organization really ready?

Let’s start with some basic things that need to be in place before you press the button.

Collaboration and working methods

I have worked with Microsoft 365 for many years and my focus has been – and still is “Modern Work” and “Collaboration”. That all end users in a business work in the same (or very similar) way with the same tools is fundamental for good Collaboration in a business. If you have Microsoft 365, you should use the powerful tools and services available in Microsoft 365 as much as possible. It cannot possibly be “Bring your own app”, “Bring your own platform” or “Bring your own AI” if you are to collaborate smoothly and securely. This goes without saying. Those who think otherwise need to think again.

Something that surprises and amazes me a lot is that many people are keen for their information to be easy to find, they want to be sure that the information is relevant and they want the information to be properly secured. Yet so many choose to rely on the use of group chats in Microsoft Teams and thus unstructured communication and document sharing. In addition, members of the countless group chats are tormented by irrelevant notifications as a group chat that has been around for a few months is filled with topics other than what the chat was originally intended for.

In the worst case, business-critical information is shared and discussed and then suddenly one day the person who started the chat ends their employment and when their account is deleted, the chat and its conversations and files are also deleted.

I have written a lot about these types of challenges in my previous blog posts.

• Use Microsoft Teams the right way – Part 2 – The key to a good information structure within Teams is relevant channels – Providing Tips
  
• Use Microsoft Teams the right way – Part 4 – Unify all communication and information and involve everyone needed – Providing Tips
  
• Use Microsoft Teams the right way Part 13 – Chat and channels Combined View or Chat and channels Separate View – Providing Tips
  
• Use Microsoft Teams the right way Part 14 – Information Chaos Starts With You — and So Does the Solution – Providing Tips

The information

Something else that surprises and amazes me a lot is that many, without first ensuring that they have good information structure, good information relevance and good information security in place, expect that by implementing AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot they can call themselves “Digitized” and everything will become easier and can be automated.

The inevitable cleaning job

If you are to succeed in digitizing your business with quality, you must take care of your “old sins” and legacy in the form of unstructured information, irrelevant information, poorly secured information and unstructured working methods. It can be time-consuming and it can take time, it is not a particularly stimulating job but it is inevitable that it must be done.

The success factors

• Clear overview of your processes (Why not call it basic operational control?)
• Clear definition of what you want to achieve (Why not call it strategy?)
• Guidelines for the company’s use of AI
• Structured and secured information
• Structured and secured communication
• Structured joint working methods
• Good Governance (of operations, working methods, information, agents, apps, systems and tools)

That is what is needed to succeed with both Digitalization and AI.

Now I have only mentioned the importance of Information and working methods.

Don’t forget that you also need to have good governance and control of the devices you use in your daily work as well as your Identity and Access Management (IAM). It is the overall whole that counts!