In November, Microsoft initially unveiled its cutting-edge AI-driven Office features, specifically catering to business users. However, demonstrating remarkable agility, the company has swiftly expanded the availability of these advanced features to the broader consumer base a mere two months later.
The newly launched Copilot Pro, introduced today as part of a $20 monthly subscription, brings forth a host of AI-powered functionalities embedded within Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Subscribers not only gain seamless access to the latest OpenAI models but also have the intriguing capability to fashion their own Copilot GPT.
For existing Microsoft 365 Personal or Home subscribers, a supplemental $20 per month unlocks the full potential of Copilot within Office apps, spanning across Mac, Windows, and iPad devices. The feature set is robust, encompassing the generation of entire PowerPoint slide decks through a chatbot-like prompt, as well as integrated Copilot experiences in Word for tasks such as paragraph rephrasing, text generation, and document summarization. Outlook.com users can leverage Copilot for email-related tasks, and a preview version within Excel facilitates data analysis and graph generation.
It is worth noting that a specific functionality available to businesses, namely summoning Copilot to generate a PowerPoint deck based on a Word document, is not yet accessible in the consumer version. This limitation stems from the absence of Microsoft’s Graph technology in the consumer iteration.
The Copilot Pro subscription is strategically tailored for power users, offering not only access to the latest OpenAI models but also enhancements to the Image Creator from Designer and the intriguing ability to craft personalized Copilot GPTs. This subscription targets users seeking expedited access to cutting-edge models, heightened performance, and an array of creativity tools.
Furthermore, Copilot Pro is extendable to non-Microsoft 365 subscribers, providing an exclusive gateway to GPT-4 Turbo inside Copilot. This tier promises faster performance during peak usage times and the flexibility to toggle between models. Improvements in image creation, utilizing OpenAI’s DALL-E models, are also part of the Copilot Pro subscription, introducing a new landscape image format and enhanced image quality.
Looking ahead, Copilot Pro is set to incorporate a new Copilot GPT Builder, allowing users to craft a bespoke Copilot GPT, akin to the version introduced for businesses in the previous year.
While Copilot Pro undeniably caters to the demands of power users, it’s important to note that the inclusion of Copilot features related to Office applications necessitates a concurrent subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal or Family. The accessibility spans across various platforms, including the web, Windows or Mac applications, and mobile devices, with a commitment to ongoing updates and feature enhancements.
Beyond its consumer-focused endeavors, Microsoft is also making strides in extending Copilot for Microsoft 365 to a broader spectrum of businesses. The previous 300-seat minimum requirement is being lifted, making the subscription available to a wider array of business customers at a rate of $30 per user, per month.
In echoing its pattern of continuous improvement, Microsoft is committed to enhancing Copilot Pro’s value, much like the evolution witnessed in Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) over the past year. The metaphorical “rolling thunder” of AI advancements from Microsoft seems poised to continue, promising a dynamic and continually evolving landscape of AI capabilities.
