Microsoft Teams catches up with Slack, infuses AI, and FINALLY adds custom emoji support
Teams users, both premium and non-premium, have plenty of new features to try out.
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What you need to know
Microsoft unveiled new features for Microsoft Teams at Build 2024. The improvements to Teams include everything from AI capabilities such as using intelligent recap in meetings with only transcription enabled to Live Reactions within custom app experiences connect to Teams. Many of the new features are already generally available, while others will ship gradually over the coming weeks and months.
There is a TON of Microsoft news this week, including new Surface devices, arguably the biggest Windows update in decades, and the entirety of the developer-focused Build conference. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new and on the way to Teams.
New AI features
The new AI features listed above are exclusive to Microsoft Teams Premium users. Previously, you could only use intelligent recap for meetings that were recorded. With the new capability, you’ll be able to get an AI-generated recap even if a meeting was only set to have transcription enabled.
Another transcription-related feature is that meeting organizers will be able to set “Who can record” controls to include transcription.
Lastly, Microsoft Teams now has the option to prevent users from sharing content within externally hosted meetings. IT admins can set this on a per-meeting basis.
Improvements and new features for custom app experiences
Many custom apps and web experiences use Microsoft Teams for communication. There’s a good chance that you’ve chatted with someone through Teams without knowing the specific service that powered the back end of the video call or chat. These experiences are common among healthcare providers and in some other industries. Microsoft has several new features for custom app experience that are connected to Teams.
All of the new capabilities are straightforward, but welcome, changes to custom app experiences. For example, real-time transcription using Azure AI speech (in preview) can help keep text records, which are requirements for many in medicine and other fields. Closed captions are also useful as they improve accessibility.
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PowerPoint Live support and the ability to share files during a meeting make custom app experience a bit closer to the experience you’d expect from Microsoft Teams.
New features in Microsoft Teams and Loop
Microsoft Teams and Loop users have plenty of new features on the way as well, even if they do not subscribe to Teams Premium. Custom emojis have been in the works for a while and are finally going to ship to Teams. These are quite popular in competing platforms, such as Slack, and should be a welcome addition to Teams.
Another Slack-like feature on the way to Teams is support for slash commands. These allow users to use / and a shortcut within the compose box for frequent tasks. Microsoft didn’t specify which slash commands will work within Teams, but if support is anything like what’s in Slack, the feature will be robust.
Unfurling permalinks, adaptive card-based Loop components, and the other new features in Teams and Loop make a richer experience for users. Adaptive card-based Loop component support is versatile, as it supports components from services such as Trello, Jira, and Confluence Cloud.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
