In this episode of Financial Modeler’s Corner, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Brian Jones to explore how Excel is evolving in the era of AI and large language models. They discuss how Copilot, agent mode, and AI-driven capabilities are transforming the way users build, analyse, and improve spreadsheets. Brian shares insights into how Excel is becoming more like a developer tool and how AI can automate repetitive tasks while enhancing productivity for both beginners and advanced users.

Brian Jones is the Vice President of Microsoft Excel, Forms, and Office Platforms. He has been with Microsoft since 1999, working across multiple productivity products, including Word, Office Forms, and developer extensibility tools. In his current role, Brian leads a global team responsible for Excel and related platforms, driving innovation and integrating AI capabilities like Copilot and agent mode into the product ecosystem.

Expect to Learn

1. What “agent mode” means and how it enables automation in spreadsheets
2. How AI can help analyse, fix errors, and improve financial models
3. Why Excel still requires strong logic and formula knowledge
4. How different AI models impact outputs and workflows in Excel Edge

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

1. “Excel really is like a developer tool. When you're writing formulas, you're essentially coding.” – Brian Jones
2. “It’s not just about building from scratch, it’s about improving what you already have.” – Brian Jones

Excel is evolving into a more intelligent and interactive platform where AI acts as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement. From fixing broken references to building dashboards and automating workflows, tools like Copilot and agent mode are helping users work faster and smarter

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brijones/

Website: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/brian_jones/

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In today’s episode:

[00:51] – Introducing Brian Jones

[02:50] – Returning to the Excel Team

[04:05] – AI & the Future of Excel

[06:38] – Customer Questions About Copilot

[10:22] – Agent Mode Explained

[11:41] – Modeling the community about the Excel agent

[13:14] – AI Models & Output Differences

[17:16] – Final Thoughts