AI and Copilot in Power BI – How Artificial Intelligence Transforms Data Analysis

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed how businesses analyse and present data. Microsoft Copilot in Power BI is an advanced AI-powered tool that automates report creation, data interpretation, and anomaly detection, making data analysis more intuitive and accessible for all users—regardless of their technical expertise.

1. What is Microsoft Copilot in Power BI?

Microsoft Copilot is an advanced AI assistant that is part of the Microsoft ecosystem and is used in many applications, including Power BI. In the context of Power BI, Copilot acts as a tool supporting users in data analysis, report generation, and interpretation of results without the need to manually create queries or configure visualisations. It allows users to communicate with data in a natural way – by entering questions in English – and then automatically generates appropriate reports and insights. With it, you can build dashboards, analyse trends, and quickly respond to market changes without needing to know DAX or M coding.

Microsoft has chosen to integrate Copilot with Power BI in response to the needs of companies aiming to automate and simplify data analysis. The tool is designed to accelerate business processes, reduce human error, and support strategic, data-driven decisions.

2. How to Access Copilot in Power BI?

Copilot in Power BI is available to users with a Power BI Premium or Power BI Pro licence and access to Microsoft Fabric. To activate Copilot, your organisation’s administrator must enable it in the Microsoft Fabric settings. Copilot is being rolled out in preview across regions, so some users may not yet have access to it.

2.1 How to Enable Copilot in Power BI?

1. Log in to the Power BI Service as an administrator.
2. Navigate to Admin Settings.
3. Locate the Copilot option under the Microsoft Fabric section.
4. Enable Copilot for the organisation and assign access to users.

3. What are the Features of Copilot in Power BI?

Microsoft Copilot in Power BI offers a wide range of functionalities that enhance data analysis, reporting, and business decision-making. Its main advantage lies in the use of artificial intelligence to automate analytical processes, removing the need for manual report preparation or the analysis of complex queries.

Copilot integrates with the Power BI interface, allowing users to interact using natural language. Here are the key features that make Copilot a powerful analytical tool:

3.1 Report Generation Using Natural Language Queries

Copilot enables users to create reports without needing to manually define data sources, choose visualisations, or configure filters. Simply enter a question, such as “Show me sales by region for the last three months,” and Copilot will automatically generate the relevant report and adjust the data formatting. Users can also edit reports with simple text commands, such as “Add a line chart to the report” or “Change the X-axis to sales dates.”

3.2 Automated Narrative Generation and Insights Interpretation

Copilot not only creates visualisations but also provides descriptive summaries of key insights from the analysis. This feature helps users to quickly understand trends and anomalies in the data without having to conduct in-depth analysis. For example, if a report shows a sudden increase in sales in one region, Copilot might generate a comment such as, “Sales in the North region increased by 15% last quarter, mainly due to increased orders from B2B customers.”

3.3 Visualisation Recommendations

Copilot assists users in selecting the most suitable method for visualising data by analysing the report’s structure and the nature of the dataset. If a user is unsure how best to present their data, Copilot can suggest various types of charts and tables. For instance, when analysing sales trends, it may recommend a line chart or column chart, while for demographic data, a heat map or pie chart might be more appropriate.

3.4 Trend and Anomaly Detection

Copilot applies AI algorithms to identify unusual patterns and deviations in the data. This allows users to automatically pinpoint areas that require attention, such as sudden drops in revenue, rising operational costs, or irregular sales figures. Copilot not only highlights these anomalies but also suggests possible causes and actions to explain or address them.

3.5 Automatic Correlation Analysis Between Data Sets

Using AI, Copilot can analyse relationships between different variables within a dataset and identify correlations that may impact business outcomes. For example, Copilot might reveal that an increase in website visits corresponds with a rise in order volume over a specific period. This enables companies to adjust their marketing and sales strategies based on real evidence.

3.6 Predictive Analytics Support

Although Copilot is not a full substitute for advanced machine learning tools, it does offer some predictive analytics features. For instance, Copilot can use historical sales data to forecast future buying trends and identify potential risks linked to demand fluctuations. Finance teams can leverage this feature for budgeting and inventory planning.

3.7 Integration with Microsoft Fabric and Other Services

Copilot is fully integrated with the Microsoft Fabric ecosystem, enabling it to draw from multiple data sources such as Azure Data Lake, OneLake, and Microsoft Dataverse. This gives users a more comprehensive view of the organisation and allows them to create reports using data from various systems.

3.8 Team Collaboration and Interactive Analytics Sessions

Copilot supports teamwork by allowing real-time collaborative editing of reports and sharing of insights. Users can ask questions in an interactive session and dynamically adjust reports to suit the team’s needs. This enhances report creation efficiency and speeds up decision-making.

3.9 Personalised Results and User Preferences

Copilot learns from user behaviour, gradually improving the precision of its suggestions and analysis. Users can personalise report generation by defining preferences for formatting, the depth of analysis, and the presentation of data.

3.10 Advanced Query Handling and Data Filtering

Copilot allows users to pose more complex questions, including those with advanced filtering criteria. For example, a user could ask, “Show me sales only to customers in the UK technology sector who placed an order in the past six months and whose order value exceeded £10,000.” Copilot will instantly generate a report showing only the relevant data. These features make Copilot in Power BI an indispensable tool for companies seeking to maximise the value of their data and make informed decisions based on solid analysis. Its versatility makes it useful for both data scientists and business managers who need fast access to critical insights.

Microsoft Copilot in Power BI offers a wide range of functionalities that make working with data easier:

• Reporting – Users can type queries in natural language, and Copilot generates visualisations and recommendations.
• Automatic narrative generation – Copilot analyses data and presents key findings in a narrative format.
• Identifying trends and anomalies – AI scans data and detects unusual patterns.
• Visualisation suggestions – Suggests the best ways to present data.
• Interactive dataset queries – Users can ask questions without having to write DAX code.

4. What are the Limitations of Copilot in the Basic Version?

The preview version of Copilot in Power BI has several limitations:

• Supports English only.
• Can generate reports for specific data types only.
• Requires activation by an administrator.
• Available in selected regions only.
• Does not support all complex data models.

5. Example Prompts for Copilot in Power BI

Users can ask Copilot questions such as:

• “Create a sales report for the last three months by region.”
• “Show me a revenue trend chart for this year.”
• “What were the biggest changes in financial results last quarter?”
• “Find anomalies in last month’s sales data.”

6. How Much Does Copilot in Power BI Cost?

Copilot in Power BI is included in Power BI Premium and Power BI Pro licences. Currently, it is available in a preview
version, and pricing details may change as new features are introduced.

Microsoft may introduce additional licensing options in the future for more advanced users.

7. Examples of AI and Copilot Applications in Business

7.1 Power BI and Copilot in Marketing

Copilot in Power BI enables marketing companies to analyse the performance of advertising campaigns in real time. This allows them to identify which channels are performing best, which customer segments are converting most effectively, and where marketing budgets are being used least efficiently. For example, an e-commerce company can use Copilot to track advertising performance across platforms, automatically generating comparative reports that help optimise budgets.

7.2 Power BI and Copilot in Finance

Finance departments can use Copilot to create budget forecasts and analyse cash flows. The tool can automatically detect anomalies in financial data, such as unexpected increases in expenses or irregular cash inflows. In the banking sector, Copilot can support the analysis of credit indicators and generate reports on the financial stability of customers, which speeds up the credit decision-making process.

7.3 Power BI and Copilot in Sales

Sales teams can use Copilot to monitor sales performance and optimise sales strategies. The system allows for quick reporting on top- and bottom-selling products, customer purchasing trends, and sales seasonality. This enables sales managers to make more informed decisions about pricing and inventory planning.

8. Power BI Solutions from TTMS

At Transition Technologies MS (TTMS), we specialise in delivering comprehensive analytics solutions based on Power BI. Our services include designing, implementing, and optimising reports and dashboards tailored to your organisation’s needs. By working with our experts, y ou can fully leverage AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot to enhance business efficiency and make data-driven decisions faster. Find out more at https://ttms.com/uk/power-bi/