Microsoft Copilot, recently announced by Microsoft, is a smart AI work companion that will make employees’ work easier. It does this, among other things, by providing a consistent experience across various Microsoft products, such as Bing, Edge, Microsoft 365, and Windows. In this blog, we’ll discuss what Copilot has to offer, how much it costs, and when you can start using it.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Copilot is a powerful digital assistant specifically designed to boost your productivity and make your tasks easier. It is integrated into and available in Windows 11 (as of the September 26 update) and provides direct support for all Microsoft programs and other tasks. It appears as a sidebar on your desktop and lets you manage your PC settings, launch apps, and work within them prompts to answer. What makes this assistant truly useful is its integration with various parts of Microsoft’s operating system. Whether you want to convert a document into a PowerPoint presentation, write a text in Word, analyze numbers in Excel, edit media in Paint, or simply need help, Copilot is there for you. Starting November 1, the feature will also be available in Windows 365 for professional users, and a broad rollout is scheduled for sometime this fall as part of the annual major Windows 11 update.
Key Features of Microsoft Copilot
Advanced Integration: As mentioned earlier, Copilot is fully integrated into Windows 11, giving it access to many features. This will greatly improve navigation and task creation in programs such as Outlook, OneNote, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Bing Chat functionality: Through the integration with Bing Chat You can now ask real questions and get relevant answers right away. This makes Copilot much more than a standard virtual assistant. It makes complex tasks simple and efficient.
It is based on ChatGPT-3, OpenAI's powerful language model, and is integrated into popular development environments such as Visual Studio Code. Earlier this year, Microsoft invested more than $13 billion in the technology company OpenAI.
Availability and Pricing Structure
For commercial customers, there are several options:
- Copilot in Windows: Available for free as part of the Windows 11 update starting September 26. It offers improved efficiency and is integrated into the operating system. European users may not yet see Copilot in Windows due to the European Digital Markets Act regulations. Microsoft is working hard to comply with this legislation as quickly as possible, after which Europeans will also be able to use the AI assistant.
- Bing Chat Enterprise It integrates the use of business information into the generative AI model's knowledge base while ensuring commercial data protection for this sensitive business information. It is available as a standalone product for $ 5 per user per month, or included in Microsoft 365 E3 and E5. Read the blog about Bing Chat Enterprise here.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available to businesses of all sizes, including small and medium-sized businesses, with no minimum number of seats required. You can find more information about this here.
Who is Microsoft Copilot for?
- Windows users: Microsoft Copilot is available to Windows users and helps them with everyday tasks, enabling them to be more productive.
- Companies: Microsoft 365 Copilot is specifically designed for businesses and offers advanced security features and deep integration with Microsoft 365 apps.
How do you use Microsoft Copilot?
- Windows: Users can easily open Microsoft Copilot via the taskbar icon or using the Win+C keyboard shortcut. The assistant will appear in the sidebar and be ready to help with various tasks.
- Microsoft 365 apps: Microsoft Copilot is integrated into various Microsoft 365 apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Teams. It can help with tasks such as summarizing emails, rewriting text, and analyzing data.
