Microsoft adds new Copilot and reporting tools to Power BI

Microsoft released its May 2026 Power BI update on 13 May. The changes include Copilot enhancements, new reporting options, modeling updates, and additional data connectors. Some features are generally available while others remain in preview. Rollout timing depends on each organization's tenant settings. The update forms part of Microsoft's monthly cycle of incremental improvements rather than a single major release.
Before this update, analysts at mid-sized companies already struggled to keep inherited reports running while trying to learn data modeling from scratch. New AI features arrived on top of existing confusion rather than replacing it. The update changes little for teams whose data sources remain scattered across undocumented Excel files. Copilot can suggest measures, but it cannot fix relationships that produce circular references or queries that take four hours to refresh.
Analysis
Ignore the feature list and pick your slowest inherited report instead. Document every Power Query step this week, then test whether one new connector or Copilot prompt actually reduces that refresh time.
Citation
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