As businesses increasingly prioritize AI-driven productivity, Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2 is now here to set the standard for integrating advanced AI into core business functions.
Following its successful initial rollout, Copilot has enabled over 400 million users to optimize how they manage documents, data, and workflows. Wave Two of Microsoft 365 Copilot introduces groundbreaking updates that take this transformation to the next level.
If you’re a business leader looking to advance your organization with the power of AI, this blog will serve as a perfect outline to help you understand how you can do just that with Microsoft’s latest and greatest version of Copilot.
Wave Two represents a significant leap in the capabilities of Copilot, aligning tightly with the strategic needs of organizations seeking to maximize efficiency and harness AI for smarter decision-making. Below are the key advancements:
Overview: Pages introduces a dynamic AI-driven workspace that unifies web content and internal work artifacts into a single, actionable canvas. This reimagined knowledge layer gives users the ability to turn unstructured data into actionable insights, enabling ideation and collaboration at scale.
Leadership Insight: For decision-makers, this feature presents the ability to quickly distill vast amounts of information, making strategic planning more data-driven and responsive.
Key Technical Advantage: Pages integrates across various Microsoft 365 applications, providing a seamless connection between external data (like market analysis) and internal resources (such as project plans), allowing IT leaders to make faster, more informed decisions.
Overview: Microsoft 365 Copilot now embeds deeper into essential tools like Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, enhancing everyday workflows without disrupting user experience.
Leadership Insight: New features such as Python integration in Excel allows organizations to run advanced analytics directly within the platform, while Narrative Builder in PowerPoint leverages AI to create data-driven presentations in a fraction of the time. Additionally, Prioritize My Inbox in Outlook uses AI to manage the flow of communications, filtering and flagging critical messages in real time.
Key Technical Advantage: These updates offer a tighter integration with existing processes, allowing technology leaders to drive operational efficiency by combining Copilot’s AI capabilities with their organization’s unique workflows and data.
Overview: Copilot’s evolution into an enterprise orchestration layer addresses the need for smoother cross-application workflows. Siloed systems are now augmented by Copilot Agents, which automate complex business processes, such as project approvals, reporting, or resource allocation.
Leadership Insight: This orchestration reduces manual tasks and empowers technical teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
Key Technical Advantage: Copilot Agents enable seamless automation across multiple business systems, reducing inefficiencies and freeing up valuable IT resources to focus on innovation.
Microsoft 365 Copilot’s ability to learn and evolve from continuous customer feedback is a key differentiator in the market. Microsoft’s collaboration with nearly 1,000 organizations has led to over 700 product updates and 150 new features. The switch to GPT-4 ensures faster processing times, and improvements in user interaction have significantly enhanced satisfaction rates.
Key Technical Advantage: Copilot’s adaptability allows organizations to continuously refine their AI-driven processes, ensuring alignment with evolving business goals and technology requirements.
As we look toward the future, the integration of AI within business operations will become increasingly sophisticated and pervasive.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is at the forefront of this transformation, offering tools that not only enhance current workflows but also prepare organizations for the evolving landscape of AI-driven work.
The future of AI in business lies in its ability to adapt to specific organizational needs. With these latest Microsoft Copilot updates is designed to integrate business-specific AI models, allowing companies to create highly personalized workflows.
Customization capabilities will ensure that AI tools are not just generic solutions but are tailored to address unique challenges and opportunities within each organization.
AI will play a crucial role in breaking down silos and enhancing collaboration across departments and teams. With tools like Biz Chat, employees can interact with their entire organizational knowledge base, surfacing key insights that drive business strategy and innovation.
This level of connectivity ensures that valuable information is accessible to all, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
The ability to make data-driven decisions quickly and accurately will be a defining feature of successful organizations in the AI era. Microsoft 365 Copilot’s advanced analytics and AI-driven insights enable leaders to distill vast amounts of data into actionable strategies.
Not only will this improve the speed and quality of decision-making but it will also ensure that strategies are grounded in real-time data and trends.
One of the key advantages of using Microsoft 365 Copilot for business workflows is its ability to evolve based on continuous customer feedback. This iterative improvement process ensures that the tool remains aligned with the latest business needs and technological advancements.
As AI technology progresses, Copilot will incorporate new features and capabilities, ensuring that organizations are always equipped with cutting-edge tools.
The shift towards a digital-first approach is inevitable, and AI will be at the heart of this transformation. Microsoft 365 Copilot provides the foundation for this shift, enabling organizations to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and make more strategic, data-informed decisions.
By adopting these AI advancements, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence.
In focusing on the aspects listed above, your organization can leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot to not only meet current demands but also prepare for the future of AI-driven business. This proactive approach ensures long-term success and a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.
Staying at the forefront of these AI advancements will enable your organization to harness Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2 to elevate productivity, streamline workflows, and make more strategic, data-informed decisions.
This new and improved version represents the next step in this journey, offering the tools necessary to meet the increasing complexity of today’s digital-first landscape. Embracing these innovations not only positions your company as a leader in AI adoption but also ensures you are equipped to tackle future challenges with agility and confidence.
Investing in these technologies today translates to a future of sustained growth, giving you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving business environment.
At Managed Solution we take pride in delivering imperative news about all things Microsoft, AI Productivity tools, business innovation, and technology advancements. For more exclusive content and news be sure to subscribe to our newsletter here.
In today's fast-paced work environment, productivity tools like Microsoft Office 365 have become essential. To take your efficiency to the next level, integrating AI-powered tools can make a significant difference.
One such tool is Copilot, an AI assistant that enhances your Office 365 experience across every application. In this blog post, we'll explore how to use Copilot with various Office 365 applications, ensuring you get the most out of this powerful combination.
What is Copilot?
In short, Copilot is an AI assistant designed to help you with a range of tasks, from generating content to automating repetitive processes.
By integrating Copilot with Office 365, you can streamline your workflow, improve accuracy, and save valuable time.
Copilot Demo for Office 365
Copilot has the power to enhance your Microsoft Office 365 applications to boost productivity to a whole new level, check out Microsoft’s demo below and continue reading for our expert tips on leveraging Copilot for your Microsoft 365 platform.
Maximize productivity with Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 | Demo (youtube.com)
Source: TechInfinitive.com
Microsoft Word is a powerful tool for creating documents, and Copilot can enhance your writing process in several ways:
Content Generation
Need help starting a document? Ask Copilot to generate an outline or draft based on your topic. Simply provide a brief description, and Copilot will create a structured starting point.
Grammar and Style Suggestions
Copilot can review your text for grammatical errors and style improvements. Highlight the text you want to check and select the Copilot suggestions option.
Research Assistance
Copilot can help you gather information by pulling relevant data from trusted sources. Just ask a question, and Copilot will present a summary of findings directly in your document.
Source: Finance Alliance
Excel is essential for data management and analysis. Here's how Copilot can assist:
Automate Data Entry
Save time by asking Copilot to fill in repetitive data. For instance, you can instruct Copilot to auto-populate cells based on a pattern or previous entries.
Data Analysis
Copilot can help you analyze data trends and generate reports. You can request insights on specific data sets, and Copilot will provide visualizations and summaries.
Formula Assistance
Struggling with complex formulas? Describe what you need, and Copilot will suggest or create the appropriate formula for your task.
Source: Office-watch.com
Outlook is the go-to application for managing emails and scheduling. Copilot can enhance your productivity in Outlook by:
Drafting Emails
Ask Copilot to draft emails based on a few key points you provide. This is especially useful for routine communications or follow-ups.
Scheduling Meetings
Copilot can help find available time slots and schedule meetings efficiently. Simply indicate the participants and preferred time frame.
Email Summaries
For lengthy email threads, Copilot can generate concise summaries, helping you stay on top of your communications without reading every message in detail.
Source: Microsoft
PowerPoint is crucial for creating impactful presentations. Copilot can assist you by:
Design Suggestions
Copilot can recommend design improvements based on the content of your slides, ensuring a professional and visually appealing presentation.
Content Creation
Provide an outline or topic, and Copilot can generate entire slides, complete with text and graphics.
Consistency Checks
Copilot can review your presentation for consistency in formatting, fonts, and styles, making sure your slides look cohesive.
Be Clear and Specific
When requesting assistance from Copilot, clarity is key. The more specific your instructions, the better Copilot can help you.
Explore Templates
Copilot offers various templates for different tasks. Explore these to save time and ensure you’re using best practices.
Continuous Learning
As AI evolves, Copilot will continue to improve. Leverage resources such as our Getting Started with Copilot Webinar Series to learn everything you need to get the most out of Copilot and stay ahead of the curve.
You can also read our blog on Copilot Pricing Plans and dive into the rest of our blog page for further insights.
Integrating Copilot with Office 365 applications can revolutionize your workflow, making tasks easier and more efficient. Whether you’re drafting documents, analyzing data, managing emails, or creating presentations, Copilot is a valuable companion. Start leveraging this AI-powered assistant today and experience a new level of productivity in your daily work routine.
By following these steps & tips and referencing these powerful resources -- you'll be well on your way to mastering the use of Copilot with Office 365, ensuring you work smarter, not harder.
Our new get started with copilot webinar series is tailored to help you understand how Copilot can be your digital co-pilot, providing intelligent assistance across a variety of tasks.
At the heart of Copilot lies a suite of tools and features engineered to boost productivity across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Whether you are crafting documents, creating presentations, managing emails, or working with spreadsheets, Copilot is there to assist you. It offers intelligent suggestions, customizable templates, insightful analytics, and industry best practices, ensuring that your work is efficient and effective.
Document Creation
With intelligent suggestions and customizable templates, Copilot helps you create professional and polished documents quickly and easily. No more staring at a blank page—Copilot offers prompts and layout options tailored to your needs.
Presentation Design
Copilot assists in crafting engaging presentations by providing design recommendations, content suggestions, and even slide transitions, making your presentations stand out.
Email Management
Managing a flood of emails can be daunting, but Copilot streamlines this process by categorizing, prioritizing, and even drafting responses, ensuring you stay on top of your inbox.
Data Handling in Spreadsheets
Copilot's advanced analytics and data visualization tools transform raw data into actionable insights. Whether you're creating complex formulas or generating reports, Copilot is your go-to assistant.
Our recorded webinar series is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of Copilot for Microsoft 365. Each session is packed with insights, practical tips, and real-world applications, specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your business.
How to leverage Copilot's intelligent features to streamline your daily tasks.
Practical tips for integrating Copilot into your existing workflows.
Real-world examples of how Copilot solves industry-specific challenges.
Strategies to maximize the benefits of Microsoft 365 with Copilot.
With eight sessions to choose from, covering a wide range of industries and use cases, you'll find the guidance you need to transform your business processes. Each session is tailored to address specific challenges and showcase how Copilot can be effectively utilized in different scenarios.
Session Highlights:
In the dynamic realm of data-driven decision-making, access to relevant, accurate, and timely data is paramount. Copilot Data Connectors are revolutionary, linking various data sources to assist in your evaluation.
This guide discusses Copilot Data Connectors. It explains how to use them, why they are important, and how they improve data workflows.
Copilot Data Connectors are innovative tools designed to simplify and streamline data integration processes.
They help users easily access data from different sources like cloud platforms, databases, and applications. Copilot Data Connectors make it easier to retrieve and integrate data. This allows users to concentrate on gaining valuable insights rather than managing separate data sources.
To get the latest data for analyzing and reports, you can choose to turn on Real-Time Syncing for continuous updates. This will keep your insights up-to-date with the latest data from your sources.
You can connect the data with your favorite analytical tools. These tools include business intelligence dashboards, machine learning models, and custom applications. This allows for seamless integration and analyzing.
Integrating external data with Copilot extends the scope of analyzing, enabling organizations to gain a holistic view of their operations, customers, and competitive landscape.
Here's why connecting external data with Copilot is crucial:
External data sources provide valuable context that enriches internal datasets. Companies can improve their understanding of customers, competition, and opportunities by using external information.
This information can include market trends, consumer behavior, and industry standards. By analyzing this data, companies can gain insights into what customers desire and potential risks they may face.
Having access to different types of outside information helps make decisions based on real-world situations. Organizations can make better decisions by using external data. For example, they can adjust marketing plans based on social media feedback.
They can also enhance supply chain operations with weather predictions. Ultimately, this leads to improved business results. This leads to better business results.
External data often contains signals and patterns that can enhance predictive analytics and forecasting models. Companies can improve their predictive models by using outside information such as economic data, population trends, and global events.
This can make their models more accurate and reliable. As a result, companies can plan and manage risks more effectively. This helps with planning and managing risks more effectively.
Leveraging external data can provide a competitive edge by uncovering hidden opportunities or early warning signs of potential risks.
By using Copilot, organizations can stay ahead by spotting market trends early and tracking competitors online. Integrating external data helps them stay ahead of the competition.
External data integration fosters innovation by enabling organizations to tap into new sources of insights and inspiration. Companies can find new market groups by analyzing data from outside sources. Additionally, they can generate new ideas for products and services.
External data sources play a critical role in risk management by providing early indicators of potential risks and vulnerabilities.
With Copilot, companies can use external data to anticipate and manage risks like supply chain problems and regulatory shifts. This helps prevent issues from getting worse.
Organizations can use Copilot to connect external data sources. This allows them to access a variety of data-driven insights. You can use these insights for decision-making, planning, and innovation.
By doing this, organizations can enhance their logical capabilities. Organizations can use outside data to discover new opportunities, lower risks, and stay ahead in today's fast-paced environment.
Efficiency and Productivity
Copilot Data Connectors streamline the data integration process, reducing manual effort and time spent on data preparation tasks. This efficiency enables data teams to focus on higher-value activities such as analyzing, modeling, and strategic decision-making.
Data Accessibility and Modification
By bridging data silos and simplifying access to disparate data sources, Copilot Data Connectors democratize data access across organizations. Business users, analysts, and data scientists can get the data they need without needing specialized technical skills.
Connecting external data with Copilot enables you to grow with your changing data needs, providing scalability and flexibility. Whether you're dealing with small-scale datasets or massive data volumes, Copilot's robust infrastructure ensures seamless growth and performance.
Copilot Data Connectors provide real-time insights for organizations. They help organizations access fresh data quickly. This allows them to make decisions faster. It also helps them respond promptly to market changes.
Ability and Affinity
Copilot Data Connectors support a wide range of data platforms and formats, ensuring compatibility with your existing infrastructure and tools. This interoperability eliminates data silos and fosters a cohesive data ecosystem within your organization.
In conclusion, Copilot Data Connectors represent a paradigm shift in data integration, offering unparalleled efficiency, accessibility, and scalability.
Your organization can use connector tools to easily connect data with Copilot for maximum data utilization. This helps them innovate and strategically grow in today's data-focused environment.
In this in-depth guide for purchasing Copilot you'll learn about every licensing option available in detail, along with the demographics each option best suits to choose the perfect plan for you.
“The company discovered there were different “types” of Copilot users. One segment includes creators, researchers, and programmers who want rapid access to the latest generative AI tools.
Another segment includes Microsoft 365 customers who want to leverage Copilot in their apps for personal use. Plus, there are Copilot users who need access to the complete capabilities of Copilot, alongside enterprise data protection, Microsoft Graph grounding, and Copilot in Teams.
As a result, there are now different “Copilot plans” available for each type of user, starting with the introduction of Microsoft Copilot Pro”. -- Android Authority
Freelancers and Hobbyists: Copilot’s Free version is the perfect fit for freelancers and hobbyists who work on projects intermittently. This option allows individuals to access Copilot's capabilities without committing to a fixed monthly subscription, making it cost-effective and highly accessible for users who don’t yet have the need for Copilots complete suite of services.
Small to Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs): SMBs with Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium subscription and small to medium-sized development teams can benefit from Copilot Pro or Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365.
With its predictable monthly subscription fee per user, Copilot Pro offers unlimited access to Copilot's features, enabling teams to collaborate effectively and increase productivity without worrying about variable costs.
If the organization is working heavily with Microsoft 365, then Copilot for Microsoft 365 is the best option to reap all of Copilots benefits within their existing M365 platform.
Large Enterprises: Large enterprises with Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 and complex development environments and stringent security requirements can leverage Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Customizable pricing and features, along with advanced security controls and dedicated support, make Copilot for Microsoft 365 ideal for organizations seeking enterprise-grade solutions tailored to their specific needs.
The "free" Copilot experience for individuals grants access to foundational capabilities, web grounding, and commercial data protection. However, users do not have access to Copilot features within tools like Word, PowerPoint, or Teams.
Free users can utilize Copilot in specific solutions, such as Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise.
Considering upgrading from the free version of Copilot to the monthly Copilot Pro subscription for $20? If you're a casual Copilot user and satisfied with the performance and features of the free version, there's no pressing need to upgrade.
However, if you frequently use Microsoft Office applications, the decision becomes more nuanced. Copilot Pro unlocks AI features within Office, particularly in apps like PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook, which can be truly transformative.
The ability to command Copilot to assist in creating a PowerPoint presentation based on a Word document or email is remarkable and can significantly save time.
If such capabilities align with your needs and preferences, then opting for a Copilot Pro subscription is advisable. While $20 per month may seem steep, we anticipate that Copilot Pro will continue to evolve with additional features over time, potentially increasing its value in the future.
The Copilot Free Plan is particularly beneficial for individuals and small teams who have occasional or moderate needs for AI-driven assistance in software development but do not require access to advanced features or integration with Microsoft Office applications.
Specifically, the following demographics would benefit the most from Copilot's Free Plan:
Freelancers and Hobbyists: Individuals who work on coding projects independently or as a hobby can benefit from the Copilot Free Plan as it provides foundational AI capabilities without the need for a paid subscription.
Students: Students learning to code or working on coding projects for academic purposes can leverage the Copilot Free Plan to access AI-powered coding assistance at no cost.
Small Development Teams: Small teams with limited resources or budgets can utilize the Copilot Free Plan to enhance their coding productivity without incurring additional expenses.
Startups and Bootstrapped Companies: Startups and bootstrapped companies in their early stages of development may find the Copilot Free Plan advantageous as it offers basic AI assistance without requiring a financial commitment.
Overall, the Copilot Free Plan caters to individuals and organizations looking to explore AI-driven coding assistance without the need for advanced features or integration with Microsoft Office applications.
The Copilot Pro Plan is best suited for users and organizations with more extensive needs, particularly those who rely heavily on Microsoft Office applications for their work.
The following demographics would benefit the most from Copilot's Pro Plan:
Professional Developers: Experienced developers and software engineers who work on complex projects and require advanced AI-driven assistance, such as code suggestions, refactoring, and bug fixing, would benefit greatly from the Copilot Pro Plan.
Microsoft Office Users: Individuals and teams who heavily utilize Microsoft Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook in their workflow can unlock the full potential of Copilot's integration with Office applications with the Pro Plan. This includes features such as generating PowerPoint presentations based on Word documents or emails, which can significantly save time and enhance productivity.
Companies with Compliance and Security Needs: Enterprises with strict compliance and security requirements can benefit from the advanced security controls and dedicated support offered by the Copilot Pro Plan, ensuring that their coding activities remain secure and compliant with industry standards.
Teams Requiring Priority Support and Collaboration Tools: Organizations that require priority support and advanced collaboration tools, such as centralized billing and management, can take advantage of the Copilot Pro Plan to enhance team collaboration and productivity.
For users wanting to incorporate Copilot into their Microsoft 365 infrastructure, there are many different options to explore which we have broken down below:
For individuals or families subscribed to Microsoft 365 Personal or Family, Copilot Essentials provides access to essential AI-powered features within select Microsoft 365 apps.
With Copilot Essentials, users can enjoy priority access to Copilot and experience faster performance. Additionally, Copilot Essentials accelerates image creation with Designer, making it an ideal choice for personal or household use.
Individuals or families seeking enhanced productivity within select Microsoft 365 apps.
Casual users who do not require extensive AI capabilities but value improved performance and image creation features.
Designed for customers with a Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium subscription, Copilot for Microsoft 365 Business Essentials offers a comprehensive set of AI-powered tools tailored for small to medium-sized businesses.
Users gain access to AI-powered chat with secure access to organizational graphs, enabling efficient communication and collaboration. Additionally, Copilot is seamlessly integrated into Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, enhancing productivity across the organization.
With the ability to customize and extend Copilot using Microsoft Copilot Studio Preview, businesses can adapt the AI assistant to meet their unique needs. Furthermore, Copilot for Microsoft 365 Business Essentials provides enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance features, ensuring data protection and regulatory compliance.
Small to medium-sized businesses requiring AI-powered tools for improved communication, collaboration, and productivity.
Organizations seeking enterprise-grade security and compliance features within their AI assistant.
For customers with a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 subscription, Copilot for Microsoft 365 Enterprise Solutions offers advanced AI capabilities tailored for large enterprises.
In addition to AI-powered chat and access to Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps, enterprise users benefit from customizable AI solutions through Microsoft Copilot Studio Preview.
With enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance features, Copilot for Microsoft 365 Enterprise Solutions ensures data protection and regulatory compliance at scale.
Large enterprises with complex workflows and extensive AI requirements.
Organizations seeking highly customizable AI solutions with robust security and compliance features.
On March 1st of 2024, Microsoft released the following additional licensing options for Copilot. These licenses for Copilot Sales and Copilot Service will be available for CSP.
Read the graph below to learn more or contact our procurement team at quotes@managedsolution.com.
Choosing the right Copilot pricing plan depends on your specific needs and the Microsoft 365 subscription you currently hold. Whether you're an individual user, a small business, or a large enterprise, there's a Copilot plan tailored to enhance your productivity, collaboration, and security within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
We hope this guide for purchasing copilot will help you evaluate your requirements carefully and select the Copilot plan that best aligns with your goals and priorities.
If you're ready to unlock the full potential of AI-driven productivity tools within Microsoft 365, reach out to our procurement team at quotes@managedsolution.com to learn more, and explore the Copilot pricing plans today with one of our experts.
In today's era of digital transformation, businesses recognize the strategic importance of AI implementation (Artificial Intelligence) to maintain a competitive edge.
Managed Solution, a trailblazer in innovative technology solutions, introduces a robust six-stage methodology designed to seamlessly integrate AI into customer environments. The steps of Collect, Cleanse, Condition, Comply, Compute and Connect are important for successfully integrate AI.
The 'Collect' stage focuses on identifying and consolidating data scattered across various sources. This initial step ensures a comprehensive understanding of the data landscape, laying the groundwork for a successful AI implementation.
The 'Cleanse' stage focuses on data quality by removing errors, duplicates, and ensuring accurate and reliable data. A robust cleansing process is crucial for obtaining meaningful and actionable AI-driven insights.
In the 'Condition' stage, Managed Solution ensures the implementation and updating of information protection policies. This involves measures to safeguard data integrity, confidentiality, and availability, establishing a secure data environment crucial for successful AI implementation.
The 'Comply' stage goes beyond protection to compliance. We label and classify data to follow rules and regulations. This step is particularly vital for industries with strict compliance requirements, such as healthcare and finance.
The 'Compute' stage involves leveraging Microsoft Graph and Microsoft 365 Applications to seamlessly integrate data sources with AI systems. This integration is pivotal for creating a unified data environment that facilitates efficient AI-driven insights.
The final 'Connect' stage marks the culmination of Managed Solution's methodology. Algorithms smoothly incorporate AI skills into the customer's setup, improving responses and predictions.
By leveraging the power of AI, organizations can unlock valuable insights, automate processes, and make informed decisions. Managed Solution's six-stage methodology offers a comprehensive framework for organizations looking to seamlessly implement AI in their environments.
Every step is crucial for a smooth transition to an AI-driven future. This includes gathering data, following rules, and implementing AI. Businesses can fully utilize AI, innovate, and stay ahead in technology by following this methodology.
Our vision for Microsoft Copilot is to bring the power of generative AI to everyone across work and life. Customers like Visa, BP, Honda, and Pfizer, and partners like Accenture, KPMG, and PwC are already using Copilot to transform the way they work, and 40% of the Fortune 100 participated in the Copilot Early Access Program.
We are updating our Microsoft Copilot product line-up with a new Copilot Pro subscription for individuals; expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365 availability to small and medium-sized businesses; and announcing no seat minimum for commercial plans—making Copilot generally available to individuals, enterprises, and everyone in between.
Read on for all the details.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 enables users to enhance their creativity, productivity, and skills.
First, we are announcing an update to our Copilot product line-up: Copilot Pro—a new Copilot subscription for individuals priced at $20 per individual per month.
Copilot Pro has foundational capabilities in a single experience that runs across your devices and understands your context on the web, on your PC, across your apps, and soon on your phone to bring the right skills to you when you need them. And it has web grounding, so it always has access to the latest information. When you’re signed into Copilot with your Microsoft Entra ID, you get commercial data protection for free—which means chat data isn’t saved, Microsoft has no eyes-on access, and your data isn’t used to train the models.
Copilot Pro provides priority access to the very latest models—starting with OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo. You’ll have access to GPT-4 Turbo during peak times for faster performance and, coming soon, the ability to toggle between models to optimize your experience how you choose. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers can use Copilot in Word, Excel (currently in Preview and English only), PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote on PC, and soon on Mac and iPad. It includes enhanced AI image creation with Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator) for faster, more detailed image quality as well as landscape image format. And Copilot Pro gives you the ability to build your own Copilot GPT—a pre-customized Copilot tailored for a specific topic—in our new Copilot GPT Builder (coming soon) with just a simple set of prompts.
MICROSOFT COPILOT STUDIO
While Copilot Pro is our best experience for individuals, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is our best experience for organizations. Copilot for Microsoft 365 gives you the same priority access to the very latest models. You get Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams—combined with your universe of data in the Microsoft Graph. It has enterprise-grade data protection which means it inherits your existing Microsoft 365 security, privacy, identity, and compliance policies. And it also includes Copilot Studio, so organizations can customize Copilot for Microsoft 365 and build their own custom copilots and plugins as well as manage and secure their customizations and standalone copilots with the right access, data, user controls, and analytics.
Here’s a summary of the updated Copilot product line-up:
THE COPILOT SYSTEM
To empower every organization to become AI-powered, we are making three changes. First, we are removing the 300-seat purchase minimum for Copilot for Microsoft 365 commercial plans. Second, we are removing the Microsoft 365 prerequisite for Copilot—so now, Office 365 E3 and E5 customers are eligible to purchase. We’re also extending Semantic Index for Copilot to Office 365 users with a paid Copilot license. Semantic Index works with the Copilot System and the Microsoft Graph to create a sophisticated map of all the data and content in your organization—enabling Microsoft 365 Copilot to deliver personalized, relevant, and actionable responses. Third, we are excited to announce that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now generally available for small and medium-sized businesses—from solopreneurs running and launching their first business to 300-person fast-growing startups. If you are using either Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Microsoft 365 Business Premium, you can now purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 for $30 per user per month.1
Small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of every community and the lifeblood of local economies. They have an outsized impact on the world and markets they support—in the United States, this category accounts for 99.9% of business and employs nearly half of the workforce.2
These businesses stand to gain the most from this era of generative AI—and Copilot is uniquely suited to meet their needs. Small and medium-sized business owners report that communicating with customers takes up most of their time (66%), with managing budgets (50%) and administrative tasks (48%) not far behind.3 Copilot for Microsoft 365 can help reduce this daily grind, giving business owners valuable time back to focus on what matters most: growing their business. And with the Microsoft Copilot Copyright Commitment, small business owners can trust that they are working with a reliable partner. Small and medium-sized business customers that have Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium can learn how to purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 via our website or by contacting a partner.
We have been learning alongside small and medium-sized business customers in our Copilot Early Access Program. Here’s what they’re saying about how Copilot for Microsoft 365 is already transforming their work.
“I love that it’s in our environment. It’s able to cross-pollinate and gather information from all of the data we’ve got in Microsoft 365. As a business owner, that’s really important to me because it keeps our people working inside our systems.”
—James Hawley, CEO and Founder at NextPath Career Partners
“I do believe that there isn’t a single job position in the company that won’t benefit in some way from Copilot being available to them.”
—Alex Wood, Senior Cloud Engineer at Floww
“Copilot accurately summarizes the call and meeting notes in minutes. That’s not just faster, it means callers can add more value to the discussion rather than just take notes.”
—Philip Burridge, Director, Operations and Strategy at Morula Health
Commercial customers—including small and medium-sized businesses—can now purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 through our network Cloud Solution Provider partners (CSPs). This means Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available across all our sales channels. CSPs have served as trusted advisors to their customers, unlocking profitability for businesses and expanding their own capabilities. Learn more about Cloud Solution Provider partners.
These announcements come just one month after we announced that we are making Copilot for Microsoft 365 generally available to education customers with Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 faculty, and we’re expanding that to include Office 365 A3 or A5 faculty with no seat minimum. While education licenses are not yet included in the CSP expansion announced today, we will share updates in the coming months. It’s all part of our vision to empower everyone—from individuals to global enterprises—for an AI-powered world.
Learn more about Microsoft Copilot and visit the Copilot for Work site for actionable guidance on how you can start transforming work with Copilot today.
Learn more about how Copilot for Microsoft 365 for small and medium-sized businesses, including next steps licensing and technical requirements, and get familiar with Copilot capabilities.
Visit WorkLab for critical research and insights on how generative AI is transforming work.
Copilot helps you achieve things like never before using the power of AI.
1Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase, enterprise customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 or Office 365 E3 or E5, and business customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium.
Copilot is currently supported in the following languages: English (US, GB, AU, CA, IN), Spanish (ES, MX), Japanese, French (FR, CA), German, Portuguese (BR), Italian, and Chinese Simplified. We plan to support the following languages (in alphabetical order) over the first half of 2024: Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (PT), Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.
2U.S. Small Business Administration. (2023). Frequently Asked Questions.
3Wakefield Research. (2023). Microsoft study: Small businesses intrigued by AI and the opportunities it brings.
Copilot in Word has revolutionized collaboration by enhancing the traditional document creation process. While email and tools like OneNote remain essential, Word still leads when it comes to content creation involving multiple contributors.
By leveraging the powerful features of Copilot in Word, your team can enhance collaboration and streamline document creation processes. Whether you’re co-authoring in real time, tracking changes, or managing comments, Copilot offers the tools you need to work more efficiently and effectively. Embracing these capabilities will help your team stay connected, productive, and ready to tackle any project.
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