Microsoft Introduces Groundbreaking AI Tool for Website Development

Microsoft has recently unveiled a ground-breaking AI tool called Copilot in Power Pages, designed to simplify the process of website development. This innovative solution leverages the power of artificial intelligence to address the challenges associated with designing web pages.

 Currently available as a preview version exclusively to customers in the United States, Copilot serves as an AI-powered assistant to Microsoft’s low-code business website creation tool, Power Pages. It offers a wide range of capabilities, including generating text, forms, chatbots, web page layouts, as well as assisting with image and site design themes.

One of the standout features of Copilot is its ability to effortlessly create forms. With Copilot, users can effortlessly communicate their preferred structure, and the tool will adeptly build it, seamlessly generating the required backend database tables.

These tables can then be easily modified, added to, or removed using natural language commands within Copilot. Sangya Singh, the Vice President of Power Pages at Microsoft, explained in an email interview that “As the maker, you describe what you need in natural language and use Copilot suggestions to design web pages, create content, and build complex business data forms for your website. You no longer need to start from a blank slate.”

While AI-generated websites are not a novel concept in today’s technological landscape, with tools like Jasper and Mixo already excelling in various aspects, Singh emphasizes that Copilot in Power Pages outshines its competitors in terms of versatility. 

She is keen to clarify that the tool is not intended for generating spam sites but is rather focused on enhancing the website development process.

Singh further elaborates on the capabilities of Power Pages, stating, “Power Pages now allows you to go from no code (describing the site via natural language) to low code (changing webs design and) to pro code (making advanced customization) seamlessly.

 For Power Pages, crafting Copilot experiences within Power Pages is revolutionary because enabling an AI assistant to build business data-centric sites using natural language has not been done before.”

Nevertheless, integrating generative AI into the development process brings inherent risks, depending on the domain and use case. There is a possibility of AI generating harmful or toxic content, deviating from the intended objectives. 

Singh assures that Copilot in Power Pages, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 model, incorporates “guardrails” to mitigate such risks. Offensive content filtering is extensively applied to the suggestions generated by Copilot before they are presented to the website maker.

 If the suggestions are deemed irrelevant or inappropriate, makers can easily report the AI-generated output by expressing their dissatisfaction through a thumbs-down gesture in the interface and provide additional feedback.

In addition to Copilot, Power Pages also integrates a chatbot powered by the GPT-3.5 model, which can now be seamlessly integrated into Power Pages websites. Singh assures users that similar development practices and safeguards are in place for the chatbot. 

Giving the makers ‘total control’ is a principle we abide by, ensuring the maker always has the final say on whether to implement the Copilot suggestion, modify it further, or discard it.”