Enterprise Communications

Microsoft Places: Microsoft’s New AI Tool You Didn’t Know You Needed

by David Danto

In the ever-evolving landscape of hybrid work, many firms are releasing tools to help organizations meet the new needs and manage the chaos.

Microsoft has entered the space by slowly rolling out “Places,” their AI-powered platform.

Microsoft Places Preview

It looks like a helpful tool for businesses trying to accommodate in-office and remote work. But as with any tech that covers hoteling reservations – be it Microsoft Places, Cisco Spaces, or Zoom Workplace Reservations – it comes with a few strings attached.

There may be some issues if Microsoft is slipping up so much that they’re releasing an AI tool and forgetting to slap the “CoPilot” label on it as they have with its approximately seventeen other AI tools.

What Is Microsoft Places

Microsoft Places is a workplace management tool that promises to make hybrid work seamless and more efficient. It is currently available to anyone in “public beta” with no dates announced for the GA release.

Integrating into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem allows employees to share their locations, reserve desks, and track how office spaces are used – all while providing real-time AI-driven insights. The idea is to optimize office layout, reduce unnecessary overhead costs, and ensure employees can collaborate effectively regardless of location.

One might say, “Finally, a Microsoft solution to the hybrid work mess!” But before we roll out the red carpet for yet another AI-driven savior from Redmond, let’s examine Places more closely.

Key Features of Microsoft Places

  • Location Sharing: Employees can let their colleagues know where they are and where they will be, making it easier to coordinate in-person meetings.
  • Space Reservations: Need a hoteling desk? Microsoft Places has got you covered. You can reserve your spot in advance, which should help avoid that awkward game of musical chairs in the office.
  • AI-Powered Insights: The crown jewel of Microsoft Places is its AI, which provides deep insights into how spaces are being used. On paper, this sounds great – until you realize that yet again, you’ll (likely eventually) be upcharged for yet another version of Microsoft’s CoPilot.
  • Microsoft 365 Integration: This feature makes everything run smoothly, assuming you’re already married to the Microsoft ecosystem.

The Strengths of Microsoft Places

  1. Better Collaboration: Microsoft Places makes it easier for teams to collaborate, whether they’re in the office or working remotely. The location-sharing feature, in particular, might finally put an end to those “Where are you?” texts.
  2. Optimized Space Usage: If your office has ever felt like a ghost town on some days and a sardine can on others, Places’ AI insights could help you strike the right balance. By analyzing space usage, organizations can repurpose underused areas or reduce their office footprint altogether.
  3. Smooth Integration: The seamless integration with Microsoft 365 is arguably one of the biggest strengths of Microsoft Places. But this also means you’re further locking yourself into Microsoft’s ecosystem.
  4. AI-Driven Decisions: Making decisions based on real data is always a good thing – unless you start relying too much on AI. We’ve all seen what happens when AI gets it wrong.
  5. Integration with Microsoft Suite: The best part of Places is its ability to work with the entire Microsoft stack. Microsoft plans to integrate this experience into CoPilot. Users will be able to ask which days they should go into the office, receiving suggestions based on factors like in-person meetings, coworkers’ planned office days, and team events. CoPilot will also enable users to adjust their schedules in Outlook accordingly, changing work locations to the office on recommended days and rescheduling in-person meetings as needed.
  6. Compatibility with Hardware: Many of the existing workplace reservation systems work with devices like visual indicators and desktop units like phones and video appliances. It is not clear if Places will do so.

The Weaknesses and Concerns

  1. Yet another tool – why can’t Microsoft just add functionality to existing tools like Outlook? (I still don’t understand why we needed a Teams client when chats and video could have been integrated into Outlook).
  2. Privacy Worries: One big concern – especially for the technically savvy – is privacy. Location sharing sounds good in theory, but do you really want your employer to know where you are all the time? Microsoft insists that the data is secure, but we’ve heard that before. And even if it is secure, the real issue might be how comfortable employees feel being this transparent. Will employers use this data to promote people who are in the office more than those who are remote? Will judgments be made based on what work locations are chosen (will closer to windows or the coffee machine have negative connotations)? If you believe this data will never be used for the wrong reasons, then I have a bridge to sell you.
  3. Complexity and Implementation: Rolling out Microsoft Places is reported to be a complex task, as it needs to be integrated at the server level with multiple other MS applications. If you don’t have a robust IT team, good luck. Smaller businesses might find themselves struggling to implement and manage yet another tool in an already crowded tech stack.
  4. The Partner Trap: Microsoft Places is deeply embedded in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It’s another way Microsoft is locking you into its universe. We don’t know if and how Places might interact with non-MS calendaring and desktop solutions. Once you’re locked into Microsoft for everything it’s hard to get out – which is true for most platforms/suites. Remember, regardless of whichever brand of workplace reservation system you might choose, it isn’t just a tool – it’s a commitment.
  5. Over-Reliance on AI: Microsoft claims that AI is at the heart of Microsoft Places, and while that can be powerful, it also comes with risks. Decisions based purely on AI insights can lack the nuance that human judgment brings. And let’s not ignore that AI can sometimes get things very wrong. If you’re not careful, you could end up making big decisions based on bad data. Trusting AI to guide your office strategy is a bit like trusting your GPS blindly. Sure, it gets you there most of the time, but occasionally, it’ll drive you into a lake.

Costs and Cautions

Microsoft Places will be part of Microsoft Teams Premium, which is usually $10 extra per user per month. Teams Premium also includes other AI-powered features. It’s still unclear when and how this will be available in general release.

Microsoft Places might be the tool your hybrid workplace needs, offering a mix of collaboration features, space optimization, and AI-driven insights. But like all of the space reservation systems, it comes with several catches.

It is also not very clear where Outlook ends and Places starts. The promise of AI making our meetings and scheduling better is attractive, but balancing the actual benefits vs. challenges is a bit murky. Add to that the last thing you likely need is to find out that the location of every employee and meeting is just more data you’re handing over to a third-party cloud vendor for free.

We’ll keep an eye on Places as it continues to develop based on feedback from the public beta on its road to general availability and keep everyone informed of the rollout. And for those that can’t wait for GA, Cisco and Zoom have solutions available today. TalkingPointz will publish more on these tools as they are becoming more important in this era of hybrid work.