April Dunnam, expert in the Power Platform and Large Language Models, discusses the emergence of Copilots in Power Apps, Power BI, and Power Automate. She explains how writing prompts can aid in automation and how Copilots can provide UX and feature-building assistance. The conversation covers topics such as responsive layouts, multi-language apps, and the benefits of Co-Pilot Studio. They also touch on the simplicity of connecting Power Apps through connectors and the importance of security measures.
Co-Pilots in Power Platform enable users to build apps and automate workflows more efficiently by generating app layers based on natural language inputs.
Co-Pilots offer sophisticated text analysis and integration capabilities, enhancing the low-code automation capabilities of Power Platform.
Deep dives
The Rise of Co-Pilot in Power Platform
April Dunham discusses the growing popularity of Power Platform and the emergence of Co-Pilots. Co-Pilots are AI-driven tools that assist in creating applications and automations in the Power Platform ecosystem. These Co-Pilots are available for Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, allowing users to build apps, automate workflows, and generate reports more efficiently. Despite concerns around governance, Co-Pilots offer valuable benefits, such as streamlined app building, improved user experience, and the ability to generate prompts and responses based on natural language inputs.
The Functionality of Co-Pilots in Power Apps
One of the key uses of Co-Pilots in Power Apps is their ability to generate app layers based on text inputs, eliminating the need for users to have extensive knowledge of Power Apps. By simply describing the app they want to build, users can let the Co-Pilot handle the app creation process. Additionally, Co-Pilots can be integrated into Power Apps to provide end users with the capability to ask questions and perform actions within the app, enhancing the overall user experience and accessibility.
The Potential of Co-Pilots for Automation and Integration
April Dunham highlights the potential of Co-Pilots in automation and integration. Co-Pilots leverage generative AI to help build automations and workflows through a text-based interface. They can also integrate with Azure OpenAI to enable advanced capabilities such as sentiment analysis and custom prompts. This opens up possibilities for sophisticated text analysis and enhances the low-code automation capabilities of Power Platform. While Co-Pilots currently rely on typed inputs, there is potential for future conversational interactions to further improve their functionality.
User Experience and Future Development of Power Apps
April Dunham discusses the advancements made in Power Apps, particularly in terms of user experience and customization. The introduction of modern controls and responsive templates has enabled developers to create more aesthetically appealing and user-friendly applications. These controls also come with built-in accessibility features, ensuring compliance and enhancing the experience for users with visual or audio impairments. Furthermore, the increasing number of connectors available in Power Apps allows for seamless integration with various services, streamlining the app development process.
How is the Power Platform evolving? Richard chats with April Dunnam about the latest on the Power Platform - especially the emergence of Large Language Models like Copilot. April talks about how it's possible to use Copilots in Power Apps, Power BI, and Power Automate to help you build your automation - and how writing prompts can help you think through what you're trying to make. The conversation also digs into providing Copilots to users so that you spend less time creating UX and more time building features that the users can request. It's a Copilot world - we're just living in it!