Cortana Now Works in Skype, Small Businesses Have Virtual Assistant for Chat

Have you ever been in the middle of a chat on Skype and suddenly needed to find out more about a competitor’s product, or what time your favorite restaurant closes. Well, with the new integration of Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) virtual assistant Cortana with Skype, you won’t have to interrupt the conversation to find out.

The integration of Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana with Skype was announced at last year’s Microsoft Build 2016. Almost a year and a half later, it is finally here to give chat participants the information you need on the fly.

As a small business owner, you’ll be able  to use the Cortana integration to create more efficient meetings. You will be able to quickly recall dates, emails, documents, meetings and more by simply summoning Cortana. This also includes Cortana’s in-context assistance.

Cortana’s In-context Assistance

With in-context assistance, Cortana can make suggestions based on the conversations you are having. This includes the ability to suggest answers with smart replies if you are pressed for time and you don’t want to type.

The contextual assistance also comes with Cortana’s ability to detect conversations about scheduling an event. And when you schedule a meeting, trip or dinner, the appointment will be synced with all of your Cortana enabled devices. This will ensure you never miss an appointment, whether you are in the office or out and about with your smartphone.

For freelancers, sole proprietor businesses, and individuals without secretaries or personal assistants, this integration will prove invaluable.

The Skype Team wrote on the company blog, “At Skype, we’re committed to making your Skype experience even better. With Cortana, we’ve added a powerful, intelligent assistant to help you with your everyday tasks right where you are and save you time.”

So How do You Enable Cortana In Skype?

You start by tapping Cortana from your chat screen. When you initiate a chat with Cortana, she’ll request your permission to use your location and IM conversations in Skype. Select agree, and you are ready to go.

Cortana in Skype is being rolled out now in the US for Android and iOS users. Additional regions have not been announced.

Image: Skype

This article, "Cortana Now Works in Skype, Small Businesses Have Virtual Assistant for Chat" was first published on Small Business Trends