The deployment of Microsoft 365’s Copilot tool within BlackRock marked a pivotal step in transforming digital workflows in one of the world’s largest asset management firms. As technology plays an increasingly crucial role in streamlining operations, BlackRock’s collaboration with Microsoft exemplifies how large enterprises are leveraging artificial intelligence to drive productivity and simplify complex tasks. Anthony Diaz-Matos, managing director of BlackRock’s global digital workplace, was at the forefront of this initiative, ensuring seamless integration of the AI-powered tool across the company’s global operations.
BlackRock, headquartered in New York, embarked on this journey by rolling out over 24,000 licenses for Microsoft 365 Copilot, which has since been integrated into various functions and departments within the company. Diaz-Matos spearheaded the internal campaign, organizing the deployment process and facilitating a feedback mechanism that involved all levels of the organization. Copilot, designed to assist in automating tasks like document drafting, data analysis, and meeting scheduling, gained widespread adoption through this strategic approach.
Key to the success of this deployment was BlackRock’s reliance on a core group of early adopters. Diaz-Matos referred to this group as the company’s “flight crew,” a team of 3,000 employees tasked with testing and providing feedback on Copilot’s capabilities. These early adopters came from different areas within the company, ranging from engineers to legal and compliance officers, and formed a collaborative network that helped identify challenges and recommend improvements. Their role went beyond mere testing; they became product champions, sharing tips, troubleshooting issues, and suggesting use cases across the company’s various communication channels.
One particularly innovative use case involved a prompt that helped streamline email management, a vital task for BlackRock’s workforce. The prompt, suggested by one of the early adopters, allowed employees to organize their email inbox into a structured table, highlighting key details such as senders, subjects, and action items. This simple but effective solution was rapidly shared and adopted by BlackRock’s HR team, showcasing the tool’s potential to make everyday tasks more manageable. Diaz-Matos emphasized that this collaborative atmosphere among the early adopters and the larger employee base was essential in driving the success of the project.
Despite the promising adoption, the initial rollout was not without its challenges. Copilot’s large-scale integration across BlackRock’s multiple departments revealed a few limitations, which Diaz-Matos and his team were quick to address in collaboration with Microsoft. One of the key strengths of the partnership was the direct line of communication between BlackRock and Microsoft’s Copilot development team, which allowed for real-time feedback and swift resolution of issues. Microsoft’s engineers worked closely with BlackRock’s IT professionals, participating in daily meetings and incorporating feedback into product development cycles. This collaboration significantly improved Copilot’s functionality over a nine-month period, enhancing features and usability for the company’s diverse needs.
A critical aspect of BlackRock’s approach was ensuring that the tool remained accessible and functional for all employees, regardless of their technical expertise. As the company’s internal evangelists shared their experiences and knowledge through various channels, such as internal chatrooms and training sessions, more employees began to embrace Copilot as an integral part of their workflow. Diaz-Matos highlighted how these discussions, which often took place informally at office gatherings or in casual settings, helped build a community of AI enthusiasts within the organization.
Beyond day-to-day task automation, Copilot has become a tool for innovation at BlackRock, allowing employees to explore new ways of approaching their work. Diaz-Matos noted that the success of the initiative lay in the company’s ability to adapt the tool to its specific needs while continually learning from both positive and negative feedback. The collaborative efforts between BlackRock’s internal team and Microsoft’s developers ensured that the tool evolved in response to the company’s unique requirements.
