Microsoft Copilot Gets Smarter: Memory Management and Cross-Platform Integration
Microsoft is rolling out significant updates to Copilot that fundamentally change how the AI assistant works with you and your data. Two key features are now becoming available: Memory Management and expanded Connectors – including Google Drive integration.
These updates mark a shift from Copilot being a helpful one-off tool to becoming a genuinely personalized AI assistant that learns from you while keeping you in control.
What’s New: Copilot Memory
Until now, every conversation with Copilot has been like starting fresh. It couldn’t remember your preferences, your writing style, or the context of previous discussions. That’s changing. Microsoft has introduced Copilot Memory, which allows the AI to remember key facts about you , including your preferences, working style, and recurring topics.
How It Works
According to Microsoft’s documentation, there are two ways Copilot builds its memory:
Implicit Memory Capture: Copilot picks up on important details from your conversations. For example, if you mention “I prefer Python for data science projects” or “I’m working on Project Alpha,” Copilot remembers these for future interactions.
Custom Instructions: You can explicitly tell Copilot how you want it to behave. Examples might be “Keep my emails concise” or “Always use bullet points in reports”. It will apply those preferences automatically.
Microsoft states that Copilot only saves information when there’s clear intent to remember. A statement like “I prefer Python for all data science tasks” gets remembered, but “Write Python code for k-means clustering” does not.
You Stay in Control
Transparency and control are built into the experience. According to Microsoft:
- You’ll see a subtle “memory updated” signal when Copilot remembers something new
- You can view, edit, or delete your memories anytime from the Settings pane
- You can turn memory off completely if you prefer
Memories are stored in your Exchange mailbox in a hidden folder and follow the same security and compliance policies as other mailbox data, including Customer Lockbox and encryption at rest.
Why This Matters for New Zealand Businesses
Think about the time saved if Copilot could remember:
- The way your team writes reports
- The names of your key clients or projects
- Your preferred formats for proposals
- Technical standards specific to your industry
Instead of re-explaining the same information repeatedly, you can focus on the actual work. And if something changes – a client’s details, your preferred style, or project parameters – you can update or clear that memory instantly.
Expanding Connections: Google Drive and Beyond
The second major update is enhanced Connectors. While Copilot already links to OneDrive, Microsoft is now rolling out Google Drive integration.
According to Microsoft’s support documentation, once connected, Copilot can:
- Find files quickly across services: “Find my budget spreadsheet” or “Show me the project plan from last month”
- Search by file name or type: “Find Word documents about the tender” or “Show me all PDFs”
- Summarize folders of files without opening each one manually
- Surface insights from stored data across multiple platforms
Microsoft confirms that when you use connectors, Copilot does not store a separate copy of your data, and your connected data is not used to train AI models.
What This Means for Mixed-Platform Businesses
Many New Zealand organisations use a combination of Microsoft and Google services. This integration means:
- No more switching between platforms to find information
- Unified AI assistance across your entire document ecosystem
- Maintained security controls from both platforms
- Reduced friction for teams working across multiple tools
For enterprise customers, the Google Drive connector retains existing access controls (ACLs), meaning Copilot only works with content your account already has permission to view.
Rollout and Availability
These features are rolling out gradually across web, Windows 11, and mobile devices. Some features may be available in the free tier of Copilot, while others may be reserved for paid subscriptions like Microsoft 365 Copilot for businesses.
The Balance That Matters
Copilot is evolving from a reactive tool to a proactive assistant that learns from you. The critical difference is that you stay in the driver’s seat.
The more Copilot remembers, the more useful it becomes. But the fact that you decide what it keeps – and can view, edit, or delete those memories at any time – means you can take advantage of personalization without sacrificing control or privacy.
For New Zealand businesses navigating AI adoption, this balance could be the key to sustainable, practical implementation.
Getting Started with Copilot
Interested in exploring how Microsoft 365 Copilot could work for your organisation? Kinetics can help you:
- Assess whether Copilot is right for your business
- Configure security and compliance settings appropriately
- Train your team on effective AI prompting and memory management
- Integrate connectors while maintaining data governance