The CEO of a mid-sized manufacturing company sat among a packed room of professionals at a Microsoft conference. As the keynote speaker described the transformative power of AI, the CEO's mind raced with possibilities and a looming fear. The fear that if her company didn't start leveraging AI soon, it might be left behind in the competitive landscape. This realization marked the beginning of her company’s journey towards adopting Microsoft Copilot, one of many tools which have quickly enabled businesses through the use of Generative AI over the last few years According to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 75% of global knowledge workers are already using AI at work
The ultimate goal of adopting Copilot is to leverage AI for better business insights and efficiencies. The Work Trend Index Report found that AI helps users save time, focus on their most important work, be more creative, and enjoy their work more.
Copilot offers the potential to transform various business functions and improve executive level decision making. In finance, Copilot can reduce costs from financial errors. For legal departments, Copilot can automate contract review and document analysis as well as transform routine administrative tasks thus letting legal teams focus on higher-value substantive work. In HR, it can enhance recruiting activities and fast-track resume vetting. IT departments can also benefit from Copilot by quickly vetting new tools as well as optimizing processes. The possibilities across business functions with Microsoft Copilot are endless, offering transformative potential that can redefine efficiency and growth in almost every department.
According to BDO’s 2025 CFO Outlook Survey, 39% of companies are increasing AI adoption within their organizations, and 28% are enhancing upskilling or reskilling opportunities. In fact, BDO’s AI Academy offers extensive AI for business courses and training to assist in AI deployment, equipping an organization’s workforce to use AI effectively and with confidence.
While the desire to integrate Copilot into company operations is strong, the path forward may be uncertain. Some organizations have launched Copilot with a small group of team members only to realize they have a data governance problem – over retention of data and unchecked access controls, leading to inaccuracies and exposure of sensitive data.
Many companies do not realize that to successfully launch tools like Copilot within their organization, they must take steps to thoroughly assess their data landscape and identify potential risks that may not be immediately apparent. One of the important steps is often the most overwhelming: information governance and data cleanup. Understanding your data inventory and establishing standards for quality are essential.
Conduct a Data Health Check
Before Copilot can be effectively implemented, companies must ensure their data is accurate, organized, and controlled. This involves a comprehensive data health check to identify and rectify inconsistencies or inaccuracies, which are often a combination of implementing additional technical controls and driving new behaviors of data hygiene within the business. For any Copilot exploratory project, it is crucial to conduct a data minimization exercise first that focuses on user behavior to align technical and business controls with the company’s privacy-by-design principles.
Create an AI Governance Program
More broadly, data governance is a critical component in preparing for any AI technology. It involves creating a framework that ensures data quality, consistency, and security. It is a core pillar to a holistic AI governance program that integrates legal, regulatory, privacy, security, and ethical considerations. This program should be tailored to align with the organization's goals, values, and risk appetite for today as well as preparing for the future. By setting a strong foundation of data governance, companies can identify new revenue opportunities, optimize costs, and enhance employee engagement and innovation. Learn more in BDO’s AI Governance Guide.
Seek Guidance from Experienced Professionals
While working with consultants and outside counsel can increase the time to launch, they can ease the transition to Copilot. Consultants can do AI readiness assessments, provide guidance on data privacy and protection, and support data and information governance.
Law firms can offer guidance on policies, contracts, and compliance for legal and regulatory requirements such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Together, they can help organizations build the necessary infrastructure and governance frameworks that scale with the company’s use of AI.
The journey to turning on Copilot is not without its challenges, but with careful planning and execution, the financial benefits can be substantial. By aligning AI initiatives with organizational goals and building a robust AI governance framework, companies can harness the power of AI to drive business transformation and achieve sustainable growth.
Are you ready to turn on Copilot? Contact us today.