In November 2023, we marked two years since OpenAI introduced ChatGPT. It was a turning point that reshaped the global tech landscape almost overnight. Since late 2022, generative Artificial Intelligence has dominated conversations not only within the IT sector but also far beyond. However, it was Microsoft’s January 2024 announcement that truly brought the conversation to ground level: making its generative AI assistant for Microsoft 365 (formerly Office) available to Spanish SMEs. This marked a major leap in showing how businesses of all sizes can harness the power of this innovation.
With the release of Microsoft 365 Copilot, the generative AI wave that began with ChatGPT’s launch finally found its way into the daily operations of businesses across the country. This is a significant milestone, particularly for a country like Spain, which has long struggled with low productivity. Now, hundreds of thousands of companies and millions of employees have an opportunity to boost efficiency meaningfully.
Take this: early adopters of Microsoft 365 Copilot are reportedly saving around 10 hours per month on repetitive tasks. And no wonder—tools like Copilot can summarize endless email threads, turn Word documents into PowerPoint presentations in seconds, enhance written content, or transcribe and summarize long Teams meetings. All this comes at a time when employees are more stretched than ever, burdened with new tasks that didn’t exist before the pandemic.
But Copilot isn’t just about productivity. It’s also about trust and security. When a generative AI tool learns from employee and customer data, it’s essential that this data stays protected and within the control of the business. If AI is to have a future in the enterprise, it must be secure—or it simply won’t work. Microsoft 365 Copilot was built with this in mind: no one—not even Microsoft—can access company data. Prompts and queries aren’t stored or used to train the underlying models. And employees can’t suddenly access confidential information they weren’t allowed to see before.
Despite these advancements, several hurdles remain. According to research from Rand and Gartner, many AI implementation projects may fail without the right foundations. Gartner forecasts that by the end of 2025, 30% of generative AI initiatives will be abandoned after the proof-of-concept stage. This is due to poor data quality, weak risk controls, rising costs, or unclear business value.
Rand also highlights challenges in rolling out generative AI across organizations. Low-quality data remains a recurring issue. Moreover, many companies still lack a clear understanding of what generative AI can deliver. Often, models aren’t aligned with business objectives or don’t integrate well into existing workflows.
There’s also a tendency to chase the latest tech trend without asking the most important question: how will this help us become more efficient? This is the real game-changer.
Adoption must begin with a deceptively simple—but rarely asked—question: Why do we want our people to use AI in their day-to-day work? Organizations must rethink how they operate and make decisions. Clear use cases must be defined. Ones that free up time from low-value tasks so employees can focus on what truly matters. It’s not about knowing AI; it’s about thinking with AI. Without that clarity, confusion reigns, expectations aren’t met, and investments bring no return.
This isn’t a project with a start and end date. It’s an ongoing transformation that demands monitoring, measurement, course correction—and repetition.
And if AI is going to reshape how we work, one business function must be at the center of this evolution: Human Resources. Too often we focus on technical training while overlooking the human journey. HR plays a vital role in fostering a culture of continuous learning, easing fears around AI, guiding change management, and creating safe spaces for experimentation.
We’ve already seen from pilot programs that the companies getting the most value out of Copilot are those that have made structural adjustments. Because generative AI isn’t just a tech initiative—it requires leadership commitment and alignment across business units to find meaningful, value-driven applications.
AI doesn’t fail. What fails is its implementation—when it lacks a clear, shared purpose across the organization. Let’s work on that purpose.
Article originally written by Chus Llorente, Strategy & Business Director at Prodware Spain, and published on El Mundo.
