Microsoft has created an amazing tool called the Microsoft 365 Copilot Retrieval API. This tool helps make AI (artificial intelligence) solutions even better by finding the right information from Microsoft 365 and other sources. Let’s dive into what makes this tool so cool.
What is the Microsoft 365 Copilot Retrieval API?
The Copilot Retrieval API is a tool that helps AI find and use the right information quickly and easily. Normally, finding and organizing data via API involves using the Graph API. Technically, that hasn’t changed, because the Retrieval API is accessed through Graph. The difference is about how MUCH information is returned.
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The Graph API search endpoint
just returns a small snippet of text for each returned document or external item (with more sources coming).
just returns a small snippet of text for each returned document or external item (with more sources coming).Â
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The Retrieval API returns a LOT of that text. This is a MAJOR upgrade, because you can return actual answers, rather than a link to a document.Â
Key Features
Contextual Relevance
This Retrieval API is really smart. It understands what you are looking for and finds the most relevant information. This means the AI can give you better and more accurate answers. It’s the semantic search that comes into play here, understanding what you mean instead of what keywords you type.
Security and Compliance
Keeping data safe is very important. The Copilot Retrieval API makes sure that all the information stays secure and follows all the rules. This is especially important for sensitive information, like in finance or legal fields. Making sure that a user only finds what they’re allowed to see is vital when it comes to enterprise search.
Integration with SharePoint and Copilot Connectors
The API works well with SharePoint and Copilot connectors. It pulls the latest and most relevant information, making sure the AI responses are always up-to-date and reliable. The semantic indexes are always being updated as users work.
What about use cases for this new Copilot API?
Use Cases
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Enrichment
The API can help improve CRM systems by providing up-to-date information about customers, making interactions more personalized and effective.
Knowledge Capture
It can be used to gather and organize important information from various sources, making it easier to find and use later. Those sources could be documents or data from external systems (through the use of Copilot Connectors, formerly called Graph Connectors). I expect sources like Teams messages, emails, and more to be added soon.
Follow-Up Automation
The API can automate follow-up tasks by retrieving relevant information and ensuring that responses are accurate and timely. Imagine a Power Automate flow that pulls relevant information across all of M365 in its email to a user.
Why It Matters
The Microsoft 365 Copilot Retrieval API is a big deal because it makes AI solutions more efficient and effective. By making it easier to find the right information and keeping everything secure, this tool helps developers create better AI applications.
Taking a step back, this is basically how M365 Copilot would find information when you chat with it. By exposing the underlying API, we can go straight to the source for any reason, and not just during an interactive chat.
Getting Started
Using the Copilot Retrieval API is easy. Check the documentation and start calling it when it’s live in your environment. It’s currently entering Public Preview, so you may have access to it now! You will need an M365 Copilot license to use this API, at least for now! Whether you are working on customer relationship management, capturing knowledge, or automating follow-ups, this tool provides a strong foundation for your AI projects.
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If you’d like to learn more about how to leverage no-code/low-code Copilot agents to automate your business, or you’d like me to train your users on how to create no-code/low-code agents, contact me!
