Overview
Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI assistant integrated across Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Loop, Edge for Business, etc.) to boost productivity, creativity, and data insights. Core capabilities described on Microsoft pages include Copilot Chat (web- and work-grounded chat), AI-assisted content creation (Create), Copilot Notebooks (organize chats/files/notes), Researcher and Analyst agents for complex reasoning and data analysis, and Copilot Studio to build and deploy agents. Microsoft pages referenced also advertise access to advanced models. Security and compliance highlights on the pages note enterprise-grade controls: Copilot inherits Microsoft 365 permissions, sensitivity labels and retention policies; Microsoft states inputs/prompts aren’t used to train public models; administrative controls include the Copilot Control System, admin reporting and governance features. Integration is grounded in Microsoft Graph (files, email, meetings, chats) with web data for context where applicable. Pricing and licensing information on the official pricing pages indicates a mix of free access for eligible Copilot Chat users, subscription add-ons for the full Microsoft 365 Copilot experience (listed at approximately $30/user/month on the pricing page), and usage-based (metered Azure) charges for some Copilot Studio/agent features. Rollout notes on the pricing pages indicate phased platform rollouts and market/license-specific availability. The pages used to prepare this summary and details are linked in external_links.
Key Features
Copilot Chat
Conversational assistant available as web-grounded or work-grounded chat for eligible accounts.
AI-assisted content creation (Create)
Generate and refine documents, presentations, and creative content with templates and brand kits.
Copilot Notebooks
Organized workspace combining chats, files, meeting notes and research for ongoing projects.
Researcher and Analyst agents
Specialized agents for multistep research and advanced data analysis using internal and web data.
Copilot Studio
Tools to build, customize and deploy agents and workflows that integrate with Microsoft 365 and Azure.
Enterprise-grade security & governance
Respects Microsoft 365 permissions and sensitivity labels; includes admin controls, reporting and governance.
Who Can Use This Tool?
- Enterprise IT/admins:Plan and deploy Copilot across tenants, configure governance, and manage licensing for organizations.
- Small and medium businesses:Enhance productivity with Copilot add-ons and consider bundle pricing for business subscriptions.
- Individual Microsoft 365 users:Use Copilot Chat and integrated Copilot features if eligible under existing Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Pricing Plans
Free access to Copilot Chat for eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers.
- ✓Web- and work-grounded chat
- ✓Included for eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers with Microsoft Entra ID
Full Copilot add-on for Microsoft 365, listed at approximately $30/user/month.
- ✓Copilot across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams
- ✓Includes Copilot Chat and content creation features
Example bundle shown on pricing page: Business Basic combined with Copilot listed at $36/user/month.
- ✓Bundle example combining Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Copilot
- ✓Illustrative pricing for business customers
Enterprise pricing and licensing details available on the enterprise pricing page; may include custom terms.
- ✓Enterprise-grade controls, compliance and governance
- ✓Admin reporting and tenant-level configuration
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- ✓Integrated across major Microsoft 365 apps for seamless productivity workflows.
- ✓Specialized agents (Researcher, Analyst) and Copilot Studio for advanced scenarios.
- ✓Enterprise-grade security, permissions inheritance, sensitivity labels and governance features.
- ✓Copilot Chat is available at no added cost to eligible subscribers.
✗ Cons
- ✗Full Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on is an additional subscription cost (listed at approximately $30/user/month).
- ✗Agent creation/deployment can require an Azure subscription and incur metered usage fees.
- ✗Availability and rollout timing vary by market and license; specific dates depend on region and tenant.
Compare with Alternatives
| Feature | Microsoft 365 Copilot | AI Agent | Airtable AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $30/month | $24/month | $20/month |
| Rating | 8.6/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Content Creation | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Agent Automation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-App Context | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Native Data Connectors | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Customization Surface | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise Governance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow Extensibility | Partial | Yes | Yes |
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