Microsoft Opens Up Copilot 365 To Businesses of Any Size
Microsoft has removed the seat minimum for Copilot for Microsoft 365, opening up its enterprise-targeting AI-powered productivity tool to businesses of any size.
When Copilot for 365 launched in November, it was restricted by a 300-seat user minimum, which alienated many SMBs. Priced at $30 per user per month, that was an extra minimum expense of $9000 a month.
Whereas a Microsoft 365 ME3 or M35 license was previously required, Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium subscribers can now buy Copilot for Microsoft 365 at $30 per user per month, while commercial customers can purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 through Microsoft’s network of Cloud Solution Provider partners.
Yusuf Mehdi, Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, said:
To help address those needs, today we’re delighted to announce more options for power users, creators and anyone looking to take their Copilot experience to the next level(…) We’re excited to bring Copilot for Microsoft 365 to more commercial customers by expanding the availability to businesses of all sizes, including small- and medium-sized businesses, starting today.”
Microsoft is pitching this almost as another soft launch for Copilot, given the idea that any organisation could leverage its feature set was something of the expectation before November’s news about the 300-seat minimum. Microsoft is suggesting this update means that 365 Copilot is now generally available for any and all organisations.
Salesforce CTO Replaces Slack Cofounder
Salesforce cofounder and CTO Parker Harris has reportedly been named Slack‘s new CTO, replacing the outgoing Cal Henderson.
As reported by Fortune, Henderson, also Slack’s cofounder, is to step down effective immediately but stay in post until March 1. Harris is set to refocus his Salesforce responsibilities towards Slack, and it is unclear who will replace him as Salesforce CTO for now.
“I think there’s an average amount of time that founders stay after an acquisition, and this is way longer than that,” a Salesforce spokesperson told Fortune. “This was not a surprise. This was something that’s been talked about for quite some time.”
The recent C-suite shakeup, as capped off by the change at CTO, means that all of Slack’s original founders will no longer be with the business.
Slack’s founding CEO, Stewart Butterfield, announced he was leaving the collaboration business in December 2022, less than two years after the Salesforce acquisition was announced. He was replaced by Lidiane Jones, who lasted less than a year before taking up the equivalent role at dating platform Bumble this month. Slack’s new CEO, Denise Dresser, had 12 years of Salesforce experience behind her before taking up the top job.
After Dresser’s appointment, three Slack executives, including long-term COO Neil Shah, departed. Shah was replaced as COO by another Salesforce executive, Sarah Walker. Chief Product Officer Noah Weiss is the only current Slack senior executive in post before the acquisition and without being a previous Salesforce employee.
Poly Google Meet Devices Now Work With Zoom and Webex
A range of Poly‘s Google Meet devices is now interoperable with other rival video conferencing solutions in Cisco Webex and Zoom.
Poly’s Meet hardware devices that are now interoperable with Zoom and Webex are Poly Studio X30, X50, X52, and X70.
Webex and Zoom interoperability supports the central video conferencing features, but some more advanced capabilities — including polls, wired present, and dual-screen support — may not be available when using Poly Meet hardware to join Webex or Zoom meetings.
There is no additional cost to the new interoperability, and the feature is rolling out now in general availability, with the rollout expected to take up to 15 days for full visibility. The capability will be available to Google Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware subscriptions.
Project Audio Visual Launches ‘First and Only’ Teams Support Network
Project Audio Visual has unveiled the “first and only” fully certified global network that offers Microsoft Teams Rooms installation and support.
The Microsoft Teams Rooms and uUC specialists have partnered with more than 36 Microsoft partner businesses to enable global coverage, which includes procurement, 24/7 support in local languages, and qualified regional engineers available to support in person.
Steve Hudson, CCO at Project Audio Visual, commented:
Our Global Teams Rooms Network ensures seamless support between countries and regions and draws on local knowledge and unrivalled Teams Rooms expertise. This network brings significant benefits to our global clients, including procurement in country to ensure local warranties and maintenance contracts and local support, as well as access to our global support portal, where we solve 93% of challenges remotely.”
Project Audio Visual has been a Teams Rooms provider since 2018, assisting organisations in transforming into hybrid workspaces, operating a digital workflow, and encouraging meeting equity for both office and home workers.
