PowerPoint Trends: David Tang Interviews Geetesh Bajaj

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Imagine PowerPoint as a Swiss Army knife—it’s got tools for storytelling, data wrangling, and even a dash of design dazzle. Now picture Geetesh Bajaj, who’s been sharpening that knife for over 25 years.

    Recently, David Tang from Flevy sat down with Geetesh for a chat. Their conversation? A whirlwind tour through the latest PowerPoint trends, AI-powered features, and how consultants can turn boring bullet points into boardroom brilliance.

Their discussion covered everything from Copilot (PowerPoint’s AI avatar) to underused features like Slide Zoom (a teleportation device for your deck). If you’ve ever wondered how to make your slides smarter, sassier, and more strategic—this convo is your golden ticket.

David: Since 2000, Indezine has meticulously documented key milestones in PowerPoint’s evolution. In your professional opinion, which of the recent AI-enhanced capabilities—such as Copilot, Designer, or Live Translations—has proven most valuable for consultants navigating client engagement and presentation strategy?

Geetesh: You’re right—at Indezine, we’ve closely chronicled PowerPoint’s evolution for over two decades. From that vantage point, I believe Copilot stands out as the most transformative AI capability for consultants.

Why? Because effective consulting goes far beyond slide creation. It’s about distilling complex information, framing narratives, and delivering insights under intense time pressure. Copilot functions as a strategic thought partner in this process—one that streamlines content development while preserving clarity and intent.

The name itself reflects this collaborative ethos: Microsoft positioned it as a Copilot, not a Pilot, reinforcing the consultant’s role as the primary driver.

Whether it’s outlining a deck, reframing messaging, or generating initial slides from meeting notes or briefs, Copilot significantly accelerates the early stages of presentation design—when structure and momentum are most critical. That said, its true value emerges when users build upon these foundations, rather than treating the first draft as final.

Designer provides exceptional visual refinement, and Live Translations are indispensable for global engagement. But it’s Copilot’s ability to shape thinking and streamline execution that makes it particularly impactful in a consulting context.

Ultimately, these AI tools are most effective when integrated thoughtfully. I view Copilot and similar AI tools as intelligent assistants—designed to support, not supplant, the presenter. It’s important to recognize that the speaker remains the subject matter expert; AI simply accelerates the articulation of their insights. The value lies in how these tools enhance clarity and efficiency, while leaving judgment, nuance, and narrative ownership firmly in human hands.

David: With over two decades of recognition as a Microsoft MVP, you’ve had a front-row seat to PowerPoint’s strategic evolution. From that vantage point, could you share any upcoming capabilities or roadmap insights that consultants and business leaders would find particularly impactful?

Geetesh: Thank you—it’s been an honor to serve as a Microsoft PowerPoint MVP for over two decades. While I’m bound by a non-disclosure agreement and cannot comment on unreleased features, I can share that the PowerPoint team remains deeply committed to advancing the product in ways that align with real-world professional workflows.

The trajectory is clear: PowerPoint is transitioning from a conventional slide-generation tool into a dynamic platform for strategic communication. This evolution presents exciting opportunities for consultants, executives, and presentation specialists alike—particularly those who view storytelling and visual thinking as essential components of leadership and impact.

David: From your perspective, what strategic guidance would you offer consultants and executives seeking to effectively integrate AI prompting into their presentation development workflows?

Geetesh: The key to leveraging AI effectively in presentation development is to treat prompts like strategic briefings—not casual requests.

For consultants and executives, this means:

1. Start with clarity: Frame your prompt with intent. Instead of saying, “Make a slide about our product,” try, “Create an executive summary slide highlighting three key differentiators of our product for a B2B audience.” You can also direct AI to reference specific internal content sources, ensuring that outputs are aligned with your organization’s context, terminology, and strategic priorities.
2. Add context: AI performs best when it understands the business environment. Mention the audience type, purpose (e.g., pitch, internal strategy, investor update), and tone (e.g., persuasive, analytical).
3. Iterate, don’t settle: The first output is a draft. Use it as a springboard—refine, restructure, or ask follow-up prompts to drill down further.

Also, don’t overlook AI’s ability to help with outline development, data summarization, or even visual suggestions. It’s not just about pretty slides—it’s about shaping the story behind them faster.

Ultimately, the best results come when you combine human judgment and storytelling with AI’s speed and structure. AI should enhance your thinking, not replace it.

David: You’ve engaged extensively with developers behind leading presentation add-ins—from Shufflrr and think-cell to Flevy Tools and beyond. In your view, which AI-powered add-in stands out as a strategic essential for consultants in 2025?

Geetesh: That’s an excellent question—and one that continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work extensively with these products and engage with the visionary developers behind many leading PowerPoint add-ins. It’s been especially exciting to witness AI emerge as a foundational element in how these tools are designed and deployed.

As of 2025, the must-have AI-powered add-in for consultants isn’t just the flashiest—it’s the one that integrates seamlessly into their workflow. One standout in this regard is Microsoft Copilot itself. While technically not a third-party add-in, it’s baked into the Office ecosystem and gives consultants an enormous edge.

Among third-party tools, I’d highlight add-ins that combine AI with structure, like ones that help generate slide frameworks, align with brand standards, or build out strategy models. These are especially helpful in high-pressure client environments where speed and clarity are everything.

That said, the real power lies in using multiple tools in concert—for example, combining a framework from Flevy Tools, with AI-driven content suggestions via Copilot. Combine that with think-cells’s extensive charting repertoire.

The best AI add-in is the one that disappears into your workflow and makes you think less about slides—and more about strategy.

David: Beyond AI capabilities, which underutilized native PowerPoint features do you believe remain high-impact yet overlooked by advanced users and presentation specialists?

Geetesh: Even among experienced PowerPoint practitioners, several high-impact native features remain notably underutilized—despite their potential to enhance workflow efficiency and elevate presentation quality.

Consultants and executives, in particular, stand to benefit from greater adoption of the following capabilities:

1. Slide Zoom & Summary Zoom

Traditionally, PowerPoint is perceived as a linear medium. The Zoom transitions transform that paradigm into a dynamic, non-linear canvas—allowing presenters to create modular decks with navigable sections. For consultants, this enables real-time tailoring of the presentation flow based on audience priorities, enhancing client engagement in strategy sessions and pitch environments.

2. Outline View

Often overlooked, Outline view is a powerful tool for upfront message architecture. It allows consultants to structure narratives before engaging with visual design—much like drafting a brief before building a proposal. Its integration into Copilot’s Narrative Builder reinforces its strategic value when paired with AI-generated content outlines.

3. Branded Templates (Themes & Slide Masters)

Manual styling remains a common inefficiency. A well-governed Slide Master—with predefined layouts, color palettes, and type hierarchies—not only reinforces brand integrity but also streamlines deck production across teams. For consultants managing multi-client portfolios, maintaining bespoke starter decks ensures consistency and credibility in high-stakes environments.

4. Design Suggestions (formerly Design Ideas)

While often underestimated, the Design Suggestions feature serves as a rapid ideation tool for layout optimization. It’s particularly effective for consultants seeking quick visual refreshes or inspiration when repackaging content. Selective use can transform dense slides into compelling visuals aligned with executive expectations.

5. Reuse Slides

An underleveraged time-saver, Reuse Slides allows professionals to access curated content libraries or repurpose materials from previous engagements. In consulting workflows, it supports modular deck assembly, accelerates turnaround, and ensures alignment with firmwide standards.

Bonus: Reading View

Reading view offers a distraction-free format for reviewing content while maintaining desktop access. It’s ideal for consultants engaged in comparative analysis across multiple presentations—a frequent scenario during strategy reviews or client audits.

Taken together, these native features extend PowerPoint’s capabilities well beyond its traditional role. When combined with thoughtful narrative design and AI-enhanced inputs, PowerPoint becomes not just a slide creation tool, but a robust communication engine for strategic professionals.

David: Is there a recent or forthcoming initiative at Indezine that particularly excites you—one that you believe holds meaningful potential for consultants, executives, or professionals seeking to elevate their presentation communication strategies?

Geetesh: At Indezine, we’ve been shaping and curating presentation-focused content for more than 25 years. In many respects, the platform itself is the initiative—an evolving resource designed to meet the changing needs of professionals across their presentation lifecycle.

What excites me most is its breadth and adaptability. Whether you’re just beginning to explore strategic communication or you’re a seasoned executive crafting high-impact narratives, there’s always relevant, actionable insight to be found.

For consultants and business leaders especially, we’ve deepened our coverage of high-value themes—including storytelling techniques, visual thinking strategies, and the integration of AI-driven productivity tools within PowerPoint. From in-depth explorations of frameworks to reviews of specialized add-ins like think-cell and Flevy Tools, as well as practical guides to underutilized native features such as Morph—the focus remains clear: helping professionals communicate with greater precision and authority.

Rather than centering on a singular launch, our initiative lies in sustained relevance, depth, and usability. That ongoing commitment is what defines Indezine’s impact—and what I remain proud to nurture within the global presentation and consulting community.

       Geetesh Bajaj is a globally recognized expert in presentation design and strategy, having earned the Microsoft PowerPoint MVP designation for 25 consecutive years—a distinction awarded to individuals who demonstrate deep technical expertise and make sustained contributions to the broader professional community.

As a behind-the-scenes strategist within the presentation ecosystem, Geetesh partners with a diverse set of stakeholders—including PowerPoint add-in innovators, creative agencies, and senior business professionals—to advance the clarity, effectiveness, and strategic impact of visual communication.

Based in Hyderabad, India, Geetesh is also the author of six published books. Beyond his professional focus, he pursues interests in reading, photography, and global cuisine through travel and immersive culinary experiences.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.