Microsoft launches rival Notion with AI and integration with Office apps

Microsoft launched Loop this Wednesday (23), after two years of platform announcements. The productivity tool provides a way to work and manage projects in Office apps, with workspaces and pages where you can import and edit tasks and documents.

The new application was started to be designed during the most intense period of the pandemic. At the time, the growth of hybrid work created a demand for new ways to work in virtual teams. Microsoft has even integrated a similar feature called Fluid Framework into Teams, which later turned out to be forgotten.

Like other major tech products, Loop has built-in artificial intelligenceHelps with suggestions, summarizing conversations, and writing texts. The service can be used free of charge by any user with a Microsoft account.

How the Microsoft Cycle Works

Microsoft Loop is designed for collaboration and co-creation. The platform has a main interface similar to Adobe, Figma and Amazon’s competitors Notion. Carousel pages are like blank canvases where people can share and collaborate, with starter templates designed to help the user get started with the platform.

The new feature lets you turn any page into a real-time content block that can be exported to Teams, Outlook and Word on the web. Just like Google Docs, components are editable and updated in real time. Microsoft’s tool preview supports up to 50 people editing a workspace simultaneously.

Microsoft Loop’s project management features let you create progress trackers and custom tags, and even sync tasks with Planner, To-Do, and Trello.

The mobile app even allows for image capture. “It wasn’t just about trying to replicate the desktop experience, it was about really thinking about how we could make it easier for you to consume and edit on the go,” said Shane Chism, product manager at Microsoft Loop.