- AI tools and solutions have started to appear for all major Microsoft apps, including Outlook.
- You can use Microsoft’s built-in Outlook AI – Copilot – or integrate other AI solutions.
- Installing AI add-ins for Outlook is simple, but some are more useful than others.
AI is everywhere right now. There are so many generative AI tools, AI chatbots, and other AI-powered solutions to help with all sorts of day-to-day tasks. This includes AI add-ins and integrations for popular Microsoft programs, like Outlook.
You can now add AI assistants and features to your email inbox, as long as you’re using Outlook 2016 or a more recent version. This guide will show you exactly how to integrate AI tools into Microsoft Outlook with step-by-step instructions.
How to Integrate AI Tools into Microsoft Outlook: Step-by-Step
By integrating AI tools into Outlook you can do things like get a summary of your new messages, so you don’t have to spend time reading through every little detail, or receive helpful recommendations as you write to avoid errors and improve your flow.
Many of these AI integrations also offer features like one-click reply generation and calendar management. Here’s how to install them.
Step 1. Access the add-ins menu in Outlook. The way you do this will depend on which version of Outlook you’re working with.
On versions of Outlook from 2019 onward, you can just click “Home” and then “Get Add-ins” from the ribbon at the top of your Outlook window. If you’re using Outlook on the Web, you’ll need to start reading or writing an email to make the “Apps” button appear in the “Message” tab of the ribbon. Click that and then “Add apps” to access Add-ins. On Outlook for Windows, go to “Home” and then either “All Apps” or “Store.”
Step 2. Search for the AI tool you want to integrate with Outlook, using the bar provided. Or, if you don’t know which tool you want to use, just type in “AI” and review the options.
Step 3. Click “Add” on whichever add-in(s) you want to add to your Outlook, and wait for them to install. You may also need to create or sign into an additional account to activate certain add-ins. Popular and highly-rated options to try include:
- MailMaestro AI
- AI Perfect Assistant
- AI Email Reply Writer
- SalesDirector.ai
- WriteNow AI
Once you see that the add-in has been “Added,” you can return to Outlook and start using it.
Another Way to Use AI in Microsoft Outlook
Knowing how to integrate AI tools into Microsoft Outlook is helpful if you want to customize your experience and work with different AI solutions. However, there is also another option to get AI-enhanced features and functions in Outlook without installing anything extra – use Microsoft’s own built-in AI assistant: Copilot.
Copilot is available for the Office 365 Enterprise packages, as well as the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web.
So, if you have a Copilot-ready version of Outlook, you can simply log in and start using its many AI features right away. It can help you with the following:
- Generating brief summaries of long-winded email conversions so you can get straight to the point.
- Drafting outlines of new emails or replies to your contacts to save you time.
- Managing communications among groups of friends or teams of co-workers.
- Offering feedback on the tone and writing style of your emails, and pointing out any errors or suggesting improvements as you write.
- Chatting with you about the subjects of your emails, answering questions, and providing quick access to information you may need.
