Finding My Unique Angle: Behind the Scenes of My Copilot Café Presentation

The countdown to my presenter’s slot at the weekly national Copilot Café felt both exciting and surreal. This series has become a cornerstone of the NHS‑wide MS365 Copilot trial—an open, practical space where Microsoft experts, NHS Transformation colleagues, and early adopters across the service, share what’s working, what’s emerging, and what’s possible. With a nationwide audience, it’s a rare chance to learn from each other in real time.

 
So when the call went out for volunteers, how could I not step forward? 


As a pioneering Digital Navigator, this kind of opportunity is exactly where I thrive—helping people see what’s possible, grounding AI in real work, and sharing ideas that make a difference.
But there was a challenge: these sessions had been running for over a year. Many brilliant people have already shared their perspectives. I didn’t want to repeat what had already been said. I wanted to bring something fresh, something distinctly me.


How Copilot Helped Me Shape My Unique Point of View

This is where Copilot became my research partner.
I shared:
- the ideas I was considering,
- the context of my Digital Navigator role,
- and the link to the full archive of previous Copilot Café sessions.


Then I asked Copilot to analyse the landscape:
- Which sessions overlapped with my ideas?
- What themes had already had plenty of airtime?
- Where were the gaps?
- What angles hadn’t been explored?


That analysis saved me hours. It helped me sharpen my thinking, avoid duplication, and crystallise a unique point of view that felt authentic, useful, and aligned with the work I do every day.


And then—crucially—I created the presentation myself. In my voice. In my style. Telling my story. Copilot helped me research and refine, but the narrative, the framing, and the delivery were all mine.


That’s how I use AI most often:
- for research,
- for trend-spotting,
- for exploring ideas,
- and for grounding everything in the real work I’m doing.

The Presentation… and the Response I Didn’t Expect

I knew the session had gone well. It felt good. But the response afterwards genuinely took me by surprise.


My inbox lit up:
- Teams messages from participants,
- emails from colleagues across the NHS,
- LinkedIn messages from people who had attended live or watched the recording.


The organiser from NHS England told me she’d received loads of messages saying how valuable and refreshing the session was. And the key Microsoft contributor—one of the Copilot experts seconded into the programme—sent me personal messages on both Teams and LinkedIn to say how fantastic it was.


I’ve saved all the screenshots and I’m putting together a little “celebration” video, partly to celebrate the moment (we don't do that enough, do we?) and importantly, to remind myself that stepping forward is always worth it.

Why This Matters

This experience reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time: AI isn’t here to replace our voice, our judgement, or our creativity. It’s here to amplify them.

Copilot didn’t write my presentation. It didn’t decide my message. It didn’t shape my story.
What it did was help me:
- research faster,
- think more clearly,
- and find the angle that only I could bring.
That’s the real power of AI for people like us—leaders, navigators, creators, thinkers. It gives us back time and clarity so we can focus on the work that truly matters.


And Now… I’m Curious
I shared how I use AI in my work every day—practically, strategically, and creatively.
So now I’d love to know:
What are the practical ways you use AI to support your work?

Cheers, Sue x