Revolutionizing Presentations with AI and Microsoft Designer

In today’s fast-paced digital world, the way we create and deliver presentations has evolved dramatically. Integration of AI tools and platforms microsoft designerEasily create visually stunning and engaging presentations. In this article, we’ll look at how. Yulia Varnakovaa Microsoft 365 MVP, leverages these innovative tools to transform presentation and storytelling techniques.

1. What inspired you to start using modern technology for presentations and storytelling?

I’ve always loved playing with technology for storytelling. When I was young, I would borrow my parents’ camcorder and create stop-motion animated video stories with McDonald’s Happy Meal characters. Early in my consulting career, I discovered a similar magic of PowerPoint animations that made storylines more creative, memorable, and impactful. They then began incorporating more modern technologies into their presentations, including 3D models, virtual/augmented reality, and increasingly AI-generated images, video, audio, and avatars, and are now even designing their own.

2. What excites you most about using AI tools to create dynamic presentations?

Now we have (almost!) everything we need to create anything we want with just a few clicks, which is super exciting for boosting our creativity..As someone who isn’t naturally artistic, I find it amazing that tools like Microsoft Designer allow me to quickly create professional layouts for slides or social media and edit images. In the past, this required a lot of manual work.
Other AI tools for image creation (e.g. DALLE, Midjourney, Playground), video (e.g. RunwayML, Pika Labs), and audio (e.g. Udio or Suno) significantly improve the engagement and memorability of your messages. We are inundated with different types of presentations every day, and AI tools help us stand out by adding a little creativity without adding to our work time.

3. How and where do you use Microsoft Designer and AI tools, and where do you use the content you create?

I have been closely following the evolution of Microsoft Designer. Because it’s exciting to see Microsoft Designer continually adding more AI features.. I speak frequently at conferences and love using Microsoft Designer to create flyers for my talks. Especially since organizers do not always provide leaflets for individual sessions. Microsoft Designer has many great templates that you can modify and rework (tip: search for “webinar” in the templates section of your social media). Since you can’t add a video background to your flyer (yet!), sometimes you can export the template as an image and then paste it into PowerPoint and add the video there. (In this case, you must set the PPT slide to flyer size and then export it when adding a video.)

As for other AI tools, we think AI music can add some quick and cool spice to any message..For example, after completing a recent project, I created an AI-generated music video to thank each developer team member for their unique contributions. I created the lyrics in ChatGPT (with several polishes) and then pasted them into Suno, an AI audio generator. Our team loved this video and said it was the most creative thank you message they had ever seen. So, thanks to AI, it didn’t take long to create lasting and memorable memories for them. A fellow MVP who attended one of my sessions was inspired to write a song for a tech gathering.here. These types of internal, private use cases are a great way to experiment with AI because they involve much less risk than direct customer use cases.

4. What advice would you give someone who is new to Microsoft Designer and AI tools to get the most out of them? 

If you’re completely new, let’s start with two features. First, try removing the background from the image (Edit with AI –> Remove Background). It’s a fairly simple task, and if you’re used to using a basic removal tool like PowerPoint, you’ll be surprised at the quality. Provided by the designer. For example, look at my article.photo bomb avatar; I just put the avatar in the designer’s background removal tool, then placed it over my friend’s photo and saved it. Much cleaner edges than PowerPoint for example.

The second feature I’d like to try in Microsoft Designer is the avatar generator (Edit with AI –> Change Image Style). First, upload a photo to the tool and choose a style and background element (like an office or beach). You’ll soon have a fun image you can use on social media or as a unique profile picture. This is a basic but fun use case to try. This is especially true if you’re a designer or haven’t worked much with AI images.

5. How do you keep up to date with how quickly AI presentation tools are evolving? 

How difficult! Here are two tips: First, follow major technology companies like Microsoft on social media and add notifications so you can find out immediately when new features are released. Over time, you will find leaders who are active in social activities and can follow them. You can also subscribe to our AI newsletter, which provides weekly information. Second, constantly experiment and try out tools, even if you don’t always need them. For example, I’ve made a habit of using Microsoft Designer at least once a week to see what new features are available. I also try to get as much done as possible using Copilot at work, even if it isn’t always perfect. This allows me to stay ahead of the curve and discover new features much faster. Constant curiosity and experimentation are key.

Yulia created a group of red-clad avatars in Microsoft Designer.

The integration of AI tools with Microsoft Designer has dramatically changed the way we approach presentations and storytelling. By continually experimenting and remaining curious, we can open up new possibilities and create memorable experiences for our audiences. Embracing these innovations will be key to standing out in an increasingly digital world, and with the right tools, you can grab attention and inspire like never before.