The announcements come as Microsoft remains laser focused on integrating AI models from OpenAI across its product portfolio and new AI assistant Copilot. Microsoft bills Mesh as essentially a new way for organizations to collaborate that is designed to make virtual meetings more interactive and less dreadful.

To help cut down on meeting fatigue, Microsoft is launching the general availability of Avatars for Teams. In a blog, Microsoft says the new customizable avatars give users a “much-needed camera break” while still showing that they are actively engaged in the meeting.

Avatars for Teams is generally available on the desktop Teams client for PC and Mac and is rolling out to tenants now, Microsoft says.

Microsoft is also introducing immersive spaces for Microsoft Teams, which the company calls a new way for people to connect using the collaboration platform by adding an immersive experience to any Teams meeting. This is designed to give meetings a sense of “natural co-presence and togetherness” regardless of participant location.

“Engage with others in a space that mimics many elements of an in-person interaction – like the ability to walk over to someone you want to catch up with, or to be in a space with multiple concurrent conversations without talking over one another,” Microsoft in a Tech Community blog.

Immersive spaces features spatial audio so users experience sound as they would in an in-person setting, and it can be accessed through a PC or VR headset. It is currently available for Teams Technology Adoption Program (TAP) customers in private preview.

Customers and partners can learn more about Mesh or register interest in the Mesh private preview here.

The post Avatars, Immersive Spaces Coming to Microsoft Teams via Mesh appeared first on My TechDecisions.