In today’s fast-paced digital world, the way we create and deliver presentations has evolved dramatically. With the integration of AI tools and platforms like Microsoft Designer,, it is possible to craft visually stunning and engaging presentations with ease. In this article, we will explore how Yulia Barnakova, a Microsoft 365 MVP, leverages these innovative tools to revolutionize her presentations and storytelling techniques. 

1. How did you get started with using emerging technologies for presentations and storytelling?   
 
I’ve always loved to play around with technology for storytelling.  When I was a kid, I used to borrow my parents’ camcorder to make stop motion animation video stories with McDonald’s Happy Meal characters.  In my early days in consulting, I discovered the similar magic of PowerPoint animations to make storylines more creative, memorable, and impactful.  I then started to integrate more emerging technology into my presentations, including 3D models, virtual/augmented reality, and now increasingly generative AI imagery, video, audio, and avatars – and now even design itself.  

2. What excites you the most about using the AI tools to help create dynamic presentation?  
 
We now truly have everything we need to create (nearly!) anything we want in just a few clicks, which is exciting for enhancing creativity.  As someone who isn’t naturally artistic, I find it amazing that tools like Microsoft Designer can quickly create professional layouts for slides or social media and edit images, tasks that used to require 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) massively enhance engagement and memorability of our messages.  We are flooded with various forms of presentations daily, and AI tools help us stand out with just a little extra creativity that doesn’t add hours of work. 

3. How and where do you use Microsoft Designer and the AI Tools, and where do you use the content you create with?  
 
I’ve been closely following the evolution of Microsoft Designer, as it’s been exciting to see it constantly adding more and more AI features.  I frequently speak at conferences and enjoy using Microsoft Designer to create flyers for my talks, especially since the hosts don’t always provide them for individual sessions.  Microsoft Designer has a lot of great templates that you can modify and rework (tip: Search “webinar” in the templates section in Social Media).  Since you can’t (yet!) add video backgrounds to flyers, I’ll even sometimes export the template as an image, then paste into PowerPoint and add a video there.  (In this case, you have to set your PPT slide to be the size of the flyer then export when you add the video).  

As for other AI tools, I think AI music can add a nice quick dash of spice to any message.  For example, after finishing a project recently, I created an AI-generated music video to thank each member of my developer team for their unique contributions. I made the lyrics in ChatGPT (refining several times), then pasted into Suno, an AI audio generator.  My team loved the video and said it was the most creative thank you message they’d seen.  So, thanks to AI, it didn’t take me long at all to create a lasting, stand-out memory for them.  A fellow MVP who attended my session was inspired to create a song for his tech meetup, which you can see here.  These types of internal, personal use cases are great ways to experiment with AI, as they’re much less risky than customer-facing ones.  

4. What advice would you give to someone new to Microsoft Designer and AI tools to get the most out of the tool?  
 
If you’re completely new, I’d start with two features.  First, try to remove a background in an image (Edit with AI –> Remove Background) – this is a fairly simple task, and if you’re used to using basic removal tools like PowerPoint, you’ll be surprised at the quality Designer gives.  For instance, take a look at my photobombing avatar; I just put the avatar into Designer’s background removal tool, then put it on top of my friends’ picture and saved. Much cleaner edges than in PowerPoint, for instance.   
 
The second feature I’d try with Microsoft Designer is the avatar creator (Edit with AI –> Restyle Image). Start by uploading your photo into the tool and choosing your style and any background elements (like an office or beach). In no time, you’ll have a fun image that you can use on social media or as a unique profile photo. This is a basic but fun use case to try, especially if you haven’t worked a lot with Designer or AI imagery. 

5. How do you stay up to date with AI presentation tools, given how quickly they’re evolving?   
 
It’s indeed hard!  I have two tips, first follow major technology players like Microsoft on social media and add notifications to immediately see when new features are released.  Over time, you’ll discover leaders who are engaging and active on socials and can follow them as well. You can also subscribe to AI newsletters that give you weekly roundups.   Second, is to experiment constantly and try tools – even if you don’t always need them.  For instance, I make it a habit to use Microsoft Designer at least once a week to see what new features it has.  I also try to do as much as I can with Copilot at work, even if it’s not always perfect.  This enables me to stay on the leading edge and discover new capabilities much faster.  Constant curiosity and experimentation are key. 

Yulia created this group of avatars (in red suits) in Microsoft Designer

The integration of AI tools and Microsoft Designer has significantly changed the way we approach presentations and storytelling By continuously experimenting and staying curious, we can unlock 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, we can captivate and inspire like never before.

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