Microsoft has swiftly extended its AI-powered Office features from the business sector to consumers, with the launch of Copilot Pro, a $20 monthly subscription. Initially introduced in November for businesses, Copilot Pro now offers access to AI-powered features within Office apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Subscribers receive priority access to the latest OpenAI models and the capability to construct their own Copilot GPT. For existing Microsoft 365 Personal or Home subscribers, an additional $20 per month unlocks Copilot in Office apps on Mac, Windows, and iPad.
The features accessible to consumers mirror those available to businesses over the past two months, excluding the ability to summon Copilot to generate a PowerPoint deck based on a Word document. This limitation arises because the consumer version lacks Microsoft’s Graph technology. Copilot’s functionalities include generating PowerPoint slide decks, rephrasing paragraphs, text generation, and summarizing documents within Word. It is also integrated into Outlook.com for email assistance and has a preview version in Excel for data analysis and graph generation.
Beyond Office integration, Copilot Pro offers access to the latest OpenAI models, enhancements to the Image Creator, and the opportunity to build custom Copilot GPTs. Microsoft positions Copilot Pro as a subscription tailored for Copilot power users who seek faster performance, creativity tools, and rapid access to the latest models. Users who are not Microsoft 365 subscribers can opt for a standalone Copilot Pro subscription, providing priority access to GPT-4 Turbo inside Copilot, improved image creation using OpenAI’s DALL-E models, and soon a Copilot GPT Builder for customization.
While Copilot Pro features cater to power users, Microsoft emphasizes that Office-related Copilot features across the web and in Office apps require a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription. All Copilot Pro features are accessible on the web, Windows or Mac apps, and mobile devices. Microsoft plans to continue expanding Copilot Pro’s capabilities, aligning with the company’s trend of continuous improvement in AI offerings.
Simultaneously, Microsoft is broadening access to Copilot for Microsoft 365 in the business sphere by eliminating the 300-seat minimum for larger enterprise users. Businesses can now subscribe for $30 per user, per month, expanding the availability of Copilot’s AI capabilities to a wider range of business customers.