Microsoft has announced its 365 Copilot Chat solution, which adds pay-as-you-go AI agents to the existing chat experience for Microsoft 365 customers.
Microsoft pitches Copilot Chat as enabling an organisation’s “entire workforce—from customer service representatives to marketing leads to frontline technicians—to start using Copilot and agents today”, according to Jared Spataro, Chief Marketing Officer, AI at Work at Microsoft, in a blog announcing the news.
Spataro says the offering features secure, free AI chat powered by GPT-4, integrating agents within the chat experience. Spataro adds that it includes robust IT controls to ensure enterprise-level data protection and efficient agent management.
Spataro wrote:
Copilot is the UI for AI, and it all starts with Copilot Chat. It’s the chat experience you’ll use every day—powered by broad knowledge from the web, built on GPT-4o, and designed to be safe and secure for business use. It represents a foundational shift in how we work, enabling everyone to work smarter, faster, and more collaboratively.”
Spataro suggests that moving forward, organisations can embrace a blend of Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot—Microsoft’s premier solution—to enable AI-driven transformation on a larger scale.
So… Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat And Microsoft 365 Copilot Are Different?
Yes! They are, indeed. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is free for Microsoft commercial customers but includes the pay-as-you-go option for supplementary agents, while Microsoft 365 Copilot is $30 per user per month.
Regarding feature sets, Microsoft emphasises that Copilot Chat delivers powerful AI capabilities powered by GPT-4, enabling tasks like market research, strategy drafting, and meeting preparation. Spataro suggests users can upload files for Copilot to summarise, analyse, or enhance content across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
With Copilot Pages, Spataro invites teams to collaborate in real time, integrating inputs from files, the web, and AI while generating AI-crafted images for campaigns and social media.
The platform also features agents that automate repetitive tasks using natural language, allowing users to streamline workflows. An example Spataro offers is a CRM agent providing account details, while field service agents can access instructions and product knowledge. Spataro adds that IT admins retain control over agent deployment and management through Microsoft Copilot Studio, with agents priced on a metered basis.
Lastly, Spataro highlights the Copilot Control System, which ensures enterprise-grade data protection. It allows IT to govern access, manage Copilot’s lifecycle, and track performance through reporting. This combination of innovation and control empowers organisations to maximise AI’s potential securely and efficiently.
What you get extra with Microsoft 365 Copilot is the ability to integrate GPT-4 with organisational data—spanning meetings, emails, chats, documents, and more—while embedding Copilot into Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It also includes access to agents, providing users with powerful tools to streamline tasks and processes.
Spataro notes that new features, like Copilot Actions, are being introduced to address the most significant workplace challenges, ensuring that Copilot evolves with your needs.
Additionally, Spataro says that IT teams are equipped with the Copilot Control System for large-scale management and Copilot Analytics to measure the impact and ROI of their Copilot investment.
