M365 Changelog: Conversational AI coming to Outlook for iOS with Cortana

MC237346 – Outlook for iOS (iPhone and iPad) will soon support Cortana, your personal productivity assistant that offers AI-powered experiences to save time and focus attention. Outlook for iOS will also feature updates event and new message buttons.

This update is only for English-speaking customers in the United States using a work (not education) account.

This feature is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 79865.

When this will happen

• Rollout will begin gradually at the end of February and should be complete by the end of April 2021.

How this will affect your organization

Outlook for iOS is rolling out new message and calendar buttons. When tapped, these buttons expand to provide quick actions such as Ask Cortana, New Event, and New Message. See sample screen capture in the Learn more section, below.

With this change, Cortana enables voice input in Outlook for iOS. Use voice interaction to start Teams calls; schedule events and meetings in Outlook, including adding participants; and update existing events. In addition, Cortana can help users begin composing messages.

Launch the Cortana assistive experience via the microphone icon in Outlook; when tapped, the microphone enables voice input. There are multiple points in Outlook where users will see the microphone icon.

Users who have not used other Cortana in Microsoft 365 experiences will be prompted to accept the Terms of Use and activate their microphone the first time they tap any of the microphones in Outlook for iOS.

What you need to do to prepare

You might want to notify your users about this new capability and update your training and documentation as appropriate.

Learn more

• Cortana in Microsoft 365
• Start a conversation with your personal productivity assistant in Outlook with Cortana