Updates to the Cortana platform include a text-to-speech tool for the AI to read emails out load in either a male or female voice. Cortana can also help with scheduling meetings and coordinating attendees. It will be able to send a daily email with a round-up of a user’s meetings, relevant decumants, and reminders about outstanding email commitments.
Cortana has not achieved the same visibility as the voice AI platforms from Google or Amazon. It is available on select third-party models of smart speaker, but Microsoft doesn’t make its own hardware in that segment. Given Microsoft’s long-time emphasis on enterprise solutions, specializing Cortana for office use could be a natural transition that will reach the many businesses already operating in its software ecosystem.