Insights

As IT professionals, we’re constantly looking for ways to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions to meet the growing demands of modern businesses. Over the past few years, Microsoft’s Power Platform has evolved into a robust ecosystem for low-code development, and its integration of AI capabilities has taken things to the next level. 

As of April 2024, the platform boasts over 33 million monthly active users, highlighting its widespread adoption and effectiveness in driving innovation. The platform’s growing adoption highlights its effectiveness in driving productivity and innovation. In this post, we’ll explore the latest AI-driven features within the Power Platform, dive into real-world applications, and show you how these tools can enhance your development process and end-user solutions. 

According to a recent Forrester Total Economic Impact™ study, businesses leveraging the Power Platform have seen a 224% return on investment over three years. This substantial ROI is largely attributed to increased development speed and reduced costs, underscoring the platform’s effectiveness in boosting productivity. 

Enhancing Developer Productivity with AI 

One of the biggest challenges in IT is balancing speed with quality—delivering solutions quickly while ensuring they meet business requirements. The Power Platform addresses this challenge by embedding AI directly into its development tools, helping developers work smarter and faster. 

1. Copilot for Development 

The introduction of Copilot across Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Virtual Agents has been a game-changer. Here’s what it brings to the table: 

• Natural Language App Creation: Instead of manually building apps from scratch, you can describe what you need in plain language (e.g., “Create an app that tracks customer orders”) and Copilot generates a working prototype connected to your data sources. This is particularly useful for rapidly iterating on ideas or creating proof-of-concept solutions. 

• In-IDE Assistance: Copilot doesn’t just stop at app creation—it’s embedded within the development environment to assist with generating code snippets, workflows, or even UI components based on your input. It’s like having an extra pair of hands during development.  

2. AI Builder – Custom Models Without Data Science Expertise 

AI Builder allows teams to integrate machine learning into their applications without requiring deep technical expertise in data science. Recent updates have made this tool even more accessible: 

• Prebuilt Models: For common tasks like sentiment analysis or invoice processing, prebuilt models can be dropped into workflows with minimal configuration. 

• Custom Models: For more specific needs, you can train custom models using your own datasets—ideal for scenarios like predicting customer churn or detecting anomalies in financial transactions.  

3. Predictive Workflows in Power Automate 

Power Automate now supports predictive workflows that trigger actions based on patterns detected in historical data. For example: 

• Automatically escalating support tickets flagged as high priority by sentiment analysis models. 
• Proactively initiating restock orders when inventory levels approach critical thresholds. 

These features significantly reduce manual effort while enabling teams to respond more effectively to business needs. 

Improving End-User Experiences with AI 

AI isn’t just transforming how we build solutions; it’s also making them smarter and more intuitive for end users. Here are some practical ways AI is enhancing user experiences within the Power Platform: 

Intelligent Document Processing 
One of the most impactful features is the ability to extract structured data from unstructured documents like PDFs or scanned images. For example: 

• Automating data entry by extracting fields from invoices or contracts directly into ERP systems. 
• Reducing compliance risks by flagging missing or inconsistent information in submitted forms.  

Context-Aware Data Suggestions 
Smart data population features now suggest default values based on user context or historical trends – minimising errors and speeding up form completion. 

Generative AI for Communication 
Features like auto-complete text boxes and dynamic response generation are making chatbots and other customer-facing tools more effective at handling complex queries while maintaining a human-like tone. 

Key Considerations for Implementation 

While the Power Platform offers powerful tools out of the box, successful implementation requires careful planning: 

• Data Quality: Many AI features rely on clean, well-organised data sources. Ensuring your data is accurate and accessible is critical. 
• Governance: With low-code platforms enabling broader access to development tools, it’s important to establish governance policies to avoid sprawl or security risks. 
• Training & Adoption: Empowering both technical teams and business users with proper training ensures you get the most out of these tools. 

Why Work With Chamonix? 

At Chamonix, we’ve helped organisations across industries unlock the full potential of Microsoft’s Power Platform. From designing custom AI models to automating complex workflows, we bring both technical expertise and practical experience to every project. Our approach focuses on collaboration – we work closely with your team to understand your unique challenges and deliver solutions that align with your goals. 

Final Thoughts

The integration of AI within Microsoft’s Power Platform has opened new possibilities for IT teams looking to deliver smarter solutions faster. Whether you’re building apps, automating processes, or enhancing user experiences, these tools provide a flexible foundation for innovation. If you’re considering how to leverage these capabilities in your organisation—or if you’re looking for guidance on where to start—feel free to reach out.