Microsoft Takes Copilot AI Mainstream for Productivity

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A year after unveiling ambitious AI plans for Bing, Microsoft is pivoting to focus on bringing its Copilot AI companion mainstream. Through new subscriptions and integrations, Microsoft aims to make AI-powered productivity features accessible to consumers and businesses alike.

Last January, Microsoft showcased an AI-enhanced Bing search engine in a splashy launch. But while Bing's market share barely budged, Microsoft succeeded in propelling AI capabilities into its vast product portfolio.

Now Microsoft is consolidating these efforts under its Copilot brand. This includes a new $20 per month Copilot Pro subscription launching this week.

Empowering Consumers with Copilot Pro

Copilot Pro provides Microsoft 365 subscribers access to AI-powered capabilities in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps. For example, Copilot can generate entire PowerPoint presentations or summarize Word documents on command.

The subscription also enables priority access to the latest AI models like GPT-4 Turbo for faster performance. And an improved version of the AI image creator Designer, landscape image formats, and the ability to build custom Copilot experiences tailored to specific topics.

Microsoft is positioning Copilot Pro as a premium offering for power users and creatives looking to boost productivity. The $20 monthly add-on brings Copilot's most advanced features to everyday consumers.

Copilot for All Businesses

In tandem, Microsoft is expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365, its AI assistant for enterprises, to organizations of all sizes. Previously limited to companies with 300+ seats, now businesses of any size can purchase Copilot for $30 per user monthly.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 incorporates company data from Microsoft 365 and Graph. So it can generate personalized summaries of meetings, analyze internal data sets, and more.

By removing previous seat minimums, Microsoft seeks to democratize access to AI productivity. The company touts customers like Visa, BP, and Honda already using Copilot to work in new ways.

The Next Phase of Mainstream AI

With Copilot Pro and expanded Copilot for Microsoft 365, Microsoft moves into the next phase of bringing AI to the masses. The company is transitioning from showcasing AI innovation in Bing to making it pervasive across products for consumers and businesses.

Microsoft's goal is "to empower every person and every organization on the planet" with Copilot as an AI companion, says Microsoft CMO Yusuf Mehdi.

The software giant aims to lead businesses in leveraging AI while meeting individuals' demands for user-friendly, advanced Copilot capabilities. For Microsoft, the path forward is AI integration, not just isolated AI services.

Sources:

[1] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2024/01/15/expanding-copilot-for-microsoft-365-to-businesses-of-all-sizes/

[2] https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/01/15/bringing-the-full-power-of-copilot-to-more-people-and-businesses/

[3] https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/7/24064440/microsoft-super-bowl-ad-ai-copilot

[4] https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/15/24038711/microsoft-copilot-pro-office-ai-apps

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