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Microsoft Redesigns SharePoint with AI at its Core

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Tuesday, February 24th 2026 at 1:56 GMT by Neowin
      Locales: UNITED STATES, IRELAND

Redmond, WA - February 24th, 2026 - Microsoft is poised to fundamentally reshape the digital workplace with a sweeping redesign of SharePoint, placing Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the very heart of the platform. While SharePoint has long been a cornerstone of enterprise content management and collaboration, Microsoft acknowledges the need for a significant evolution to address the challenges of modern information overload and the increasing demand for seamless knowledge access. The reimagined SharePoint, driven by Microsoft Copilot, promises to move beyond simply storing documents to actively understanding and utilizing organizational knowledge.

For years, users have lamented the complexity of SharePoint, often finding it difficult to locate critical information buried within a labyrinth of sites, libraries, and permissions. The current system, while powerful, often requires significant training and dedicated administrative overhead. Microsoft's response isn't simply a cosmetic update; it's a strategic shift towards an AI-first experience designed to anticipate user needs and deliver relevant information proactively.

The core of this transformation is Microsoft Copilot. Initially launched as an extension to Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, and Teams, Copilot's integration into SharePoint represents a natural progression. Copilot leverages large language models (LLMs) to understand context, analyze content, and generate intelligent insights. This manifests in several key areas within the redesigned SharePoint.

Revolutionizing Search: The most immediate and impactful change will be a complete overhaul of SharePoint's search functionality. The current keyword-based system will be replaced with a natural language search experience. Users will be able to ask questions in plain English - or any supported language - and receive not just a list of documents, but answers synthesized from across the entire SharePoint environment. For example, instead of searching for "sales report Q4 2025," a user could ask "What were our sales figures for the last quarter of 2025?" and Copilot would deliver a concise summary with links to the source documents.

Automated Content Summarization: Beyond search, Copilot will automatically summarize lengthy documents, meeting transcripts, and even entire site collections. This feature is particularly valuable for organizations dealing with vast amounts of regulatory documentation, research reports, or internal knowledge bases. Users will be able to quickly grasp the key takeaways without needing to read every page, significantly boosting productivity. This isn't just basic abstracting; Copilot is designed to identify and highlight the most relevant information based on the user's role, project, and historical behavior.

Intelligent Knowledge Management: SharePoint has historically been a repository for knowledge, but often a passive one. The new design aims to turn SharePoint into an active knowledge management system. Copilot will automatically tag content, identify experts within the organization, and suggest relevant connections between different pieces of information. This will facilitate knowledge sharing, break down silos, and prevent the duplication of effort. We've seen Microsoft heavily invest in Knowledge Networks within Viva Learning - this integration represents a logical extension of that strategy.

Workflow Automation and Personalized Experiences: Microsoft also hinted at the potential for AI-powered workflow automation. Copilot could, for example, automatically route documents for review, trigger notifications based on content changes, or even generate initial drafts of reports based on pre-defined templates. Furthermore, the entire SharePoint experience will be increasingly personalized, with AI tailoring the interface, content recommendations, and search results to each individual user's needs and preferences.

The redesigned SharePoint is expected to roll out in phases throughout the latter half of 2026, beginning with early access programs for select Microsoft 365 customers. Microsoft is taking a cautious approach, prioritizing stability and user feedback before a wider release. However, the potential impact of this AI-powered transformation is significant. By simplifying collaboration, streamlining knowledge management, and automating routine tasks, Microsoft aims to empower organizations to unlock the full potential of their collective intelligence. This isn't just about a prettier interface; it's about fundamentally changing how people work, learn, and innovate within the digital workplace.