Source URL: https://it.slashdot.org/story/25/08/20/128217/microsoft-warns-excels-new-ai-function-can-give-incorrect-responses-in-high-stakes-scenarios?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
Source: Slashdot
Title: Microsoft Warns Excel’s New AI Function ‘Can Give Incorrect Responses’ in High-Stakes Scenarios
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Summary: Microsoft is testing a new AI feature called COPILOT in Excel that leverages OpenAI’s gpt-4.1-mini model for automating spreadsheet tasks through natural language. While it presents innovative capabilities for data processing, Microsoft warns against its use in sensitive areas, emphasizing potential inaccuracies in context where numerical precision or legal compliance is vital.
Detailed Description:
– Microsoft is developing a COPILOT feature in Excel, which utilizes the gpt-4.1-mini model from OpenAI to enhance user interaction with spreadsheets via natural language prompts.
– Key functionalities of the COPILOT feature include:
– Automatically filling in spreadsheet cells based on user queries.
– Classifying feedback and generating summaries.
– Creating tables tailored to specified cell ranges.
– The feature can execute up to 100 functions within a 10-minute window, showcasing its potential utility for rapid data manipulation and analysis.
– Despite its advanced capabilities, Microsoft issues a critical caveat against using the AI for:
– Numerical calculations where precision is mandatory.
– Scenarios involving legal, regulatory, and compliance implications due to the possibility of delivering incorrect or misleading responses.
– The COPILOT function is limited in that it does not have access to data outside the spreadsheet in use, which may affect its contextual understanding and output.
This AI integration in Excel highlights significant advancements in user-friendly data handling, yet it underscores critical risks associated with relying on AI in contexts where accuracy and compliance are non-negotiable. Security and compliance professionals should take heed of these limitations when considering the implementation of AI functionalities within their organizations.