Powering our Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption with gamification

When it comes to powering Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption rates internally here at Microsoft, it’s game on. 

Literally.

We were the first enterprise to fully deploy Copilot in 2024, and now, not two years later, our use of the company’s signature generative AI product is maturing.

That doesn’t mean we’re getting serious—it means we’re having fun!

“Gamification is proving to be one of the most powerful ways to drive the more refined, higher-level use of Copilot that we’re looking for,” says Stephan Kerametlian, a business program management senior director within Microsoft Digital, the company’s IT organization. “When it comes to getting our employees to find more sophisticated and creative ways to use Copilot, we’re finding that having fun is one our biggest differentiators.”

It all started when we took our employees camping—we didn’t really take them into the woods, but we did so in spirit. 

“We discovered that introducing a layer of fun transforms Microsoft 365 Copilot training from a routine task into an entertaining learning experience.”

Cadie Kneip, readiness business program manager, Microsoft Digital

We organized ‘Camp Copilot’ to bring our employees together in a fun way so we could show them how they could add Copilot to their daily workflows.

“We did things like have a superhero prompt where you got to show everyone your superpowers, you could create your own Camp Copilot pin, and we even had a scavenger hunt where you could win cool prizes,” says Cadie Kneip, a readiness business program manager with Microsoft Digital and the creative force behind many of our employee engagement-based Copilot adoption efforts.  

It was a lot of fun, and it worked—Copilot usage by attendees spiked afterwards.

“We discovered that introducing a layer of fun transforms Copilot training from a routine task into an entertaining learning experience,” Kneip says.

Under the guidance of Kneip—our CEO of fun—and others on our team, we created a companywide Copilot Expo, where we all came together to learn more about how to get more out of Copilot (where a reasonable amount of fun was had).

“Working efficiently and consistently with Copilot and AI requires ongoing learning, especially as capabilities are continuously evolving. Gamification offers an excellent way to keep colleagues engaged—helping them learn effortlessly while having fun.”

Kirsten Bliefernicht, senior business program manager, Microsoft Digital

This three-week immersive program offered 80 role-based learning sessions to fast-track Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. We made gamification a major theme, which made mastering Copilot feel less like work and more like play.

This time, the uptick in adoption and user satisfaction that followed was companywide.

“Working efficiently and consistently with Copilot and AI requires ongoing learning, especially as capabilities are continuously evolving,” says Kirsten Bliefernicht, a senior business program manager in Microsoft Digital. “Gamification offers an excellent way to keep colleagues engaged—helping them learn effortlessly while having fun.”

Gamification for locked-in learning

Copilot Expo attendee Ramita Singh experienced the transformative effect of gamification. A senior program manager within the Microsoft Datacenter Supply Strategy and Planning team, she’s also a Copilot Champion and a regular Copilot user.

“The sessions and fun activities, like building my own avatar, inspired me. Since then, I ramped up my Copilot use and my productivity has skyrocketed.”

Ramita Singh, senior program manager, Datacenter Supply Strategy and Planning

Copilot Champions are early adopters and AI enthusiasts who help Microsoft peers learn and use AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot. For her part, Singh joined the Copilot Champs program to gain efficiency and become more productive.

Even as a regular Copilot user, Singh described her use as limited—until Copilot Expo.

“The sessions and fun activities, like building my own avatar, inspired me,” she says. “Since then, I ramped up my Copilot use and my productivity has skyrocketed.”

Levelling up fun supports engagement

Although the term ”gamification” is relatively new, the practice of including game-design elements in training to increase engagement and motivation and reward behavior has been around for centuries.

Research has shown that incorporating fun into training leads to significant gains in engagement and productivity.

“Seeing Copilot create an image or solve a task is exciting. That can motivate someone to learn more about AI.”

Kaz Takayama, business program manager, Microsoft Digital

Using gamification at Copilot Expo redefined the way people learn. We designed games and reward-based challenges. We awarded points and badges to build interest and increase Copilot use at Microsoft. We created a leaderboard to show the standings and add a competitive edge to the learning.

Participants were represented on the leaderboard by the avatars they created during one of the games. This anonymity meant that competitors only recognized their own avatars and position on the leaderboard.

“People are getting tired of mandatory trainings,” says Kaz Takayama, a business program manager within Microsoft Digital in Japan. “Seeing Copilot create an image or solve a task is exciting. That can motivate someone to learn more about AI.”

Copilot Expo featured diverse content designed to appeal to a variety of people, roles, and workflows. Learning sessions were capped at 30 minutes. Sessions were scheduled at accessible times and targeted to specific roles.

“The result is interactive—you see visuals, you hear music, and the creativity surprises you.”

Ju Bu, business program manager, Microsoft Digital

That personalization allowed engineers, communicators, and salespeople, for example, to learn role-specific uses for Copilot, making the learning even more effective.

During Copilot Expo, games were scheduled prior to training sessions to build engagement. Additional gamified activities followed training to reinforce key concepts and encourage the application of Copilot. Attendees earned points for every Copilot-related task they completed.

“We picked these activities because they only require prompts, and people can practice prompts every day,” says Ju Bu, business program manager for Microsoft Digital in Greater China. “The result is interactive—you see visuals, you hear music, and the creativity surprises you.”

The power of friendly competition

According to Tomás Rogeiro Brochado de Miranda, a cloud solution architect at Microsoft based out of Portugal, adding an element of competition is a key ingredient for learning.

“Everyone likes a challenge,” he says. “You might hear someone say they don’t like games, but you’ll never hear someone say, I love to lose.”

Singh agrees.

“For a lot of people, learning feels forced when it’s required,” she says. “But when you add a bit of fun, like a competition, it generates more interest in learning new concepts.”

As organizations race to keep pace with AI, Kerametlian reminds us that learning paths and transformation aren’t one-size-fits-all.

“People learn and grow in different ways,” he says. “Gamification is one of the few powerful tools that other organizations should consider leveraging to maximize productivity and the value they get from Copilot.”

Research shows that gamification not only reinforces habit-building but also boosts positive sentiment about a product—two critical factors for driving Copilot adoption.

We would like our people to use and reuse Copilot, and gamification is helping us make that happen.

We’re also creating a fresh experience for those who’ve stepped away from Copilot. As Kneip puts it, “If someone has a bad AI experience, they won’t return—unless they see a peer succeed.”

When respected colleagues share their wins, it sparks curiosity and people give Copilot another shot.

“After they use AI in ways that matter to them, they often become champions,” Kneip says. “We see that type of turnaround every day.”

Lasting impacts

Months after Copilot Expo wrapped, the momentum hasn’t faded. Many participants are still completing Copilot-related tasks and logging points on the leaderboard—proof that competition continues to fuel engagement.

Copilot adoption at Microsoft has surged, and positive sentiment has increased.

“That’s the opportunity our customers have with AI adoption,” Kneip says. “If you give your organization something that’s relevant, peer driven, and real, they’re going to have a much better experience.”

Post-event, Microsoft engineers have turned the Copilot Expo leaderboard into a template that can be adapted and used by internal teams for their own gamified activities.

“First you need to give people access to Copilot, and then it’s about robust change management complemented by gamification, which significantly accelerates adoption and value.”

Stephan Kerametlian, business program management senior director, Microsoft Digital

Gamification activities continue building excitement around Copilot and AI and what’s possible.

The last two years at Microsoft Digital have been about increasing Microsoft 365 Copilotuser engagement, adoption, productivity, and value.

“When it comes to enabling AI transformation, engaging your employees is everything,” Kerametlian says. “First you need to give people access to Copilot, and then it’s about robust change management complemented by gamification, which significantly accelerates adoption and value. The result? Usage grows, enthusiasm soars, and productivity follows.”