Personal Intelligence, Interactive Claude & Copilot Business

Running a company of one means there is never enough time to keep up with all the emerging tools, let alone decide which ones deserve your attention. The last two weeks have delivered a handful of releases that promise to make artificial intelligence more personal, more interactive and more affordable for small businesses. From Google’s expansion of its Gemini ecosystem to Anthropic’s new interactive capabilities within Claude and Microsoft’s dedicated AI plan for small‑ and medium‑sized businesses, these announcements could reshape your workflow. This article summarizes the most important news from late January and early February 2026 and shows how solopreneurs can get value from them right away.

AI News That Matters This Week

Google Introduces Personal Intelligence and Proactive AI in Gemini

Google’s January roundup heralded a shift toward what it calls Personal Intelligence, a suite of features that connects its generative models to your own Google services. In the company’s update it describes how you can now link Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube and Search to the Gemini app to receive personalized suggestions and answers. This opt‑in beta is currently limited to U.S. users of the Gemini app, but Google plans to expand to more countries soon. When enabled, the model draws context from your emails, photos and preferences to tailor responses—like suggesting marketing ideas based on recent customer questions or reminding you of a video you saved.

Google also extended Personal Intelligence to AI Mode in Search. Subscribers to its AI Mode Pro and Ultra tiers can opt‑in to let Search access Gmail and Photos for shopping and travel recommendations. In Gmail, new tools such as Help me write, AI Overviews and personalized suggested replies are rolling out for free. Pro and Ultra subscribers get additional features like Proofread and an AI Inbox view that highlights important emails. Meanwhile, Chrome’s update adds an auto browse function powered by Gemini 3 that can complete multi‑step tasks—like booking travel or scheduling appointments—without leaving the browser. A new side panel keeps Gmail, Calendar and other apps within reach, turning Chrome into a productivity hub.

Anthropic Makes Claude Tools Interactive for More Productivity

Anthropic added interactivity to Claude on January 26, letting you manipulate connected tools directly within the chat window. Previously the assistant could take actions on your behalf; now you can create Asana projects, build Amplitude charts, edit Canva designs and even manage tasks in monday.com without leaving the conversation. The upgrade, built on the open Model Context Protocol, supports a growing list of services and will soon include Salesforce. By centralizing these workflows, solopreneurs can stop toggling between tabs and keep context intact—saving precious time.

Microsoft Launches Copilot Business, an AI Plan for Small Companies

After months of anticipation, Microsoft’s 365 Copilot Business became widely available on December 1, 2025 and continues to gain traction into 2026. The plan is designed specifically for small and medium businesses (up to 300 users) and integrates AI directly into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. According to Microsoft’s community announcement, Copilot Business automates routine tasks, surfaces insights and respects existing security and privacy settings. It bundles Copilot Chat, Search, Pages, Notebooks and customizable agents into a unified interface.

Pricing starts at $21 per user per month, but a limited‑time discount reduces it to $18 per user per month through March 31, 2026 for up to 300 licenses. This pricing makes enterprise‑grade AI accessible to small teams that may not be able to justify the larger Copilot Enterprise subscription. Key features include AI‑powered chat connected to your Microsoft 365 data and the web, advanced search across emails and documents, AI‑generated images and videos aligned with your brand, and customizable agents for research and analysis.

Box Extract Automates Data Extraction from Unstructured Documents

Managing contracts and specs is tedious, especially when details hide deep inside tables or paragraphs. Box tackled this pain point by unveiling Box Extract on January 15—a tool that uses models from Google, Anthropic and OpenAI to understand document structures and pull out the most important details. Instead of simply scraping text, Box Extract recognizes the meaning of paragraphs, tables and charts and saves key data as metadata. You can then trigger approvals or tasks based on renewal dates or payment terms, so even one‑person teams benefit from this enterprise‑grade automation.

AI Tools You Can Start Using Today

News is only valuable when you can act on it. Here are four ways you can leverage these announcements without needing an IT department.

1. Try Google’s Personal Intelligence and Productivity Features

Opt‑in to Personal Intelligence: If you’re in the U.S. and use the Gemini app, open the settings menu and look for the new Personal Intelligence section. Connect the Google services you want—Gmail for emails, Photos for images, YouTube for training videos—to enable personalized assistance.
Activate AI Mode in Search: AI Mode is available in the Google app for Pro and Ultra subscribers. Go to Search settings and toggle on AI Mode. Opt‑in to allow it to access Gmail and Photos for recommendations.
Use “Help me w
rite” in Gmail: Compose a message and click the star‑shaped AI icon. Ask the assistant to draft a client proposal or marketing email. For advanced grammar checks, upgrade to Pro or Ultra to access the Proofread feature.
Test Chrome’s auto browse: Update Chrome and open the side panel. Use the auto browse command to have Chrome book a flight or schedule a social post.

The assistant completes multi‑step tasks and presents the results for your approval.

2. Use Claude’s Interactive Tools to Centralize Your Workflow

Sign up for Claude: If you’re not already a Claude user, create an account at claude.com. Choose the tier that fits your needs.
Connect your apps: In the settings, authorize Claude to access services like Asana, Canva, Box or Slack. Make sure you have an account on each service you wish to connect.
Interact directly inside Claude: Within a chat, type commands like “Create a new Asana project called Q1 Marketing Plan” or “Design a presentation slide in Canva with our brand colors.” Claude will open an interactive interface inside the chat where you can add tasks, tweak designs or explore analytics without leaving.
Experiment with data tools: Use the Hex integration to ask questions like “Show me a chart of sales by month” and receive interactive charts and tables. The integration with Box lets you search and preview documents and even extract insights.

3. Enable Microsoft 365 Copilot Business

Microsoft’s offering is an add‑on to existing Business plans. Here’s how to get started:

Check eligibility: You need a Microsoft 365 Business plan (Basic, Standard or Premium) with fewer than 300 seats. Sign in to your admin console to verify.
Purchase the add‑on: Visit the Microsoft 365 admin center and navigate to Billing → Purchase Services. Look for Copilot Business. During the promotional period through March 31, the price is $18 per user per month with an annual commitment. After the discount period, the price reverts to $21.
Train your team: Once enabled, open Word, Excel or Outlook and click the Copilot icon. Ask it to draft proposals, create cost analyses or summarize meeting notes. Use the AI chat to analyze data across your files and emails and to generate images and videos aligned with your brand.
Build custom agents: Use Copilot Studio to create an agent that researches market trends or prepares weekly reports. Agents run on a metered basis and can be pinned in your workspace.

4. Explore Box Extract for Document Automation

Request access: Box Extract may be part of Box’s enterprise plan, but you can request a trial through your Box account manager or the Box website. Ask whether a free tier or small‑business discount is available.
Upload documents: Once enabled, upload contracts, invoices or product specifications to Box. Box Extract will analyze each document’s structure—paragraphs, tables and charts—and extract key information automatically.
Automate workflows: Use extracted metadata to trigger tasks in your project management tool or to populate spreadsheets. For example, when a contract’s renewal date is detected, create a reminder in Asana or Slack.
Combine with Claude: Since Claude integrates with Box, ask it to summarize contract clauses based on the metadata extracted by Box Extract.

How These Releases Impact Your Business

The common thread across these announcements is that AI is becoming more personal and integrated. Google’s Personal Intelligence surfaces relevant emails or videos when you ask about leads, while Chrome’s auto browse handles multi‑step tasks. Anthropic’s interactive tools eliminate tab‑shuffling by letting you design slides, update task boards and analyze data within one conversation, and Box Extract quietly removes drudgery by pulling key dates and clauses out of your contracts. Together these tools help one‑person businesses cut context switching and stay focused on serving clients.

Microsoft’s Copilot Business brings generative AI into mainstream productivity software at a price small teams can stomach. Drafting proposals, crafting customer communications and analyzing spreadsheets become faster and less error‑prone, and the limited‑time discount to $18 per user per month makes experimentation affordable. Adopt the tools that fit your workflow, and you’ll free up hours that can be reinvested in growth, learning or rest.

Action Steps for Forward‑Thinking Entrepreneurs

Ready to turn these insights into tangible progress? Use this checklist to build momentum over the next month.

Today: Update your Chrome browser and test the auto browse feature for a personal task such as booking a flight. Note how many steps it automates and whether it saves you time.
This week: Create a free Claude account and connect at least one tool (e.g., Asana or Canva). Build a small project inside Claude to experience interactive tools firsthand.
Within 7 days: If you’re eligible, opt‑in to Google’s Personal Intelligence beta and test the “Help me write” feature to draft client emails.
By February end: Evaluate whether Microsoft 365 Copilot Business is right for you. If you already subscribe to a Microsoft 365 Business plan, pilot the service with one user while the $18 promotional price is still available. Use Copilot to draft a proposal or analyze your financials.
Ongoing: Explore Box Extract and other AI document tools. When new features like Salesforce integration arrive in Claude, adopt them early to stay ahead. Keep watching SoloAITool for step‑by‑step tutorials and unbiased reviews.

Take Charge of Your AI Journey

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant future—it’s a present‑day advantage that entrepreneurs of every size can wield. Whether you’re excited about Google’s personalized assistants, intrigued by Anthropic’s interactive workspace or ready to invest in Microsoft’s Copilot Business, the key is to experiment thoughtfully. Start small, track your results and double down on what works. Which tool are you most eager to try? Share your experience with the SoloAITool community, and remember to check back for weekly updates on the tools that will shape your success.