Polishing your emails without the rework
We’ve all been there: you’ve bashed out a draft that’s about 80% of the way there, but you just know the tone is a bit too blunt, or it’s three paragraphs too long for a busy manager to actually read. Currently, using AI to help often feels like a 'start again' button. You give it a prompt, it spits out a result, and if it’s not quite right, you’re stuck deleting and trying a whole new prompt. It can feel like more work than just writing the thing yourself.
However, Microsoft is working on a change that aims to fix that friction. By introducing a side-by-side, iterative conversational drafting experience in Outlook, the process becomes a collaboration rather than a simple 'generate' command. This is a significant shift in how we interact with Copilot inside our inboxes.
Instead of just generating a block of text and hoping for the best, you’ll be able to chat with Copilot to tweak specific sections, adjust the layout, or inject more detail into an existing draft you’ve already written. It’s less about having the AI 'write for you' and more about having a highly capable editor sitting right next to your Compose window, ready to provide a second pair of eyes.
Practical ways to use conversational drafting
So, what does this look like in the thick of a Tuesday morning at the office? It’s about the small, repetitive tasks that usually drain our mental energy. Here are a few ways this side-by-side chat can make your life easier:
Softening a difficult reply:
If you’ve drafted a firm response to a curly customer complaint, you can ask Copilot to 'make this sound more empathetic while still standing our ground on the policy.' It keeps your core message but smooths out the rough edges.
Turning notes into action:
You might have a messy pile of thoughts from a quick stand-up meeting. You can paste those raw notes into a draft and ask Copilot to 'format this as a professional follow-up with clear bullet points for action items' without losing the original context you provided.
The Executive Summary:
We’ve all been guilty of over-explaining. You can take a long-winded project update and tell Copilot to 'shorten this to three key sentences for an executive audience' so the big boss actually gets the gist.
Adjusting the jargon level:
If you are a technical expert writing to the marketing team, you might ask Copilot to 'rephrase the second paragraph so it is easier for a non-technical audience to understand,' ensuring your message doesn't get lost in translation.
Why the side-by-side approach matters
The real beauty of this update is that it doesn't overwrite your work unless you tell it to. Having a side-panel conversation means you can compare the AI’s suggestions against your original draft. You can pick and choose the bits that work and discard the bits that sound a bit too 'robotic'. In the Australian workplace, where we often value a more direct but friendly communication style, this control is vital to ensure you don't end up sounding like a corporate textbook.
What to keep in mind
While this is a massive step up in productivity, it isn't a substitute for human oversight. You are still the one hitting 'send,' and you are ultimately responsible for the accuracy and tone of the message. Always review the final draft for context—AI doesn't always understand the nuances of a long-standing professional relationship or the 'vibe' of a particular project team.
Furthermore, ensure you are working within your organisation’s permissions regarding sensitive data. Just because Copilot makes it easy to refine a draft doesn't mean you should be feeding it highly confidential or restricted information unless your company’s governance policies specifically allow for it. Data hygiene and security should always be top of mind.
Getting ready for the rollout
This conversational drafting feature is a long-term target for late 2026. Because it's a way off, there’s no need to overhaul your entire workflow this afternoon. However, the best way to prepare is to get your team comfortable with the current Microsoft 365 Copilot tools and licensing now. The more familiar you are with how the AI interprets your prompts today, the better you’ll be at 'talking' to it when the side-by-side interface eventually lands.
Remember, these updates typically hit the 'New Outlook' and web versions first, so if you’re still clinging to the classic desktop view, it might be worth exploring the new interface to see what’s coming. Keeping your data organised and your team trained now will make these future AI tools much more effective when they finally arrive in your inbox.
If you want to master the tools available right now and ensure your team is using M365 to its full potential, check out our Microsoft 365 training courses to get your team up to speed.