What is Microsoft Copilot?

Picture an artificial intelligence companion that understands your intent, anticipates your next move, and works alongside you, all the while letting you stay in control. That is the promise of Microsoft Copilot. In this blog post, we uncover what Microsoft Copilot is, how it works, what to use it for and what it costs. Ready to navigate the skies of this AI tool? Let’s begin!

What is Microsoft Copilot and how does it work?

Microsoft Copilot is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool that assists with several tasks, including generating images, writing text, answering questions and coding. This chatbot, initially introduced as Bing Chat, is designed to amplify your creativity and productivity by helping you find information, create original content, and streamline your workflows.

Microsoft Copilot works by employing a combination of large language models (LLMs). This is a type of AI algorithm that makes use of deep learning techniques and extensive data sets to understand, summarize, predict, and generate content. Pre-trained models, such as Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPT) like GPT-4, are included in these LLMs.

Copilot is accessible from the Microsoft Copilot webpage, the Bing chat webpage, Edge, Windows and through the Copilot, Bing, Edge, Microsoft Start, and Microsoft 365 mobile apps. It also supports other major non-Microsoft browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

Why use Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot provides a wide range of uses, from increasing productivity in existing operations to enabling the creation of custom solutions. Here are a few key features:

• Communicate with Copilot using the chat’s text, voice, and image functions.
• Summarize documents and web pages.
• Generate unique images based on text with DALL-E 3 and Microsoft Designer.
• Extend the capabilities of Copilot with plugins and Copilot GPTs.
• Seamlessly integrate with various Microsoft 365 applications.

Microsoft Copilot Usage Examples

More than just being a chatbot that can generate creative prompts, write code snippets, and turn text prompts into visuals, Microsoft Copilot also integrates into Microsoft 365 apps, allowing you to stay in the flow of work and work more productively with the programs you use every day. Here are a few example use cases to help you get a better idea of what to use Microsoft Copilot for:

• Copilot in Word: Create first drafts based on existing files, edit documents to fit desired formats, summarize and rewrite text, insert visuals, and get suggestions to optimize your documents.
• Copilot in Excel: Analyze data, identify key trends, ask follow-up questions regarding the analysis results, and visualize these results. Use Copilot to propose what-if scenarios, create graphs of projected models and even prompt a step-by-step explanation of Copilot’s processes.
• Copilot in PowerPoint: Create presentations using written prompts or outlines, edit slides, add images and animations, and even generate speaker notes.
• Copilot in Teams: Summarize and organize key discussion points, key actions, and unresolved questions in real-time during live meetings.
• Copilot in Outlook: Manage inbox by drafting and summarizing emails, prioritizing important emails, scheduling responses, and getting feedback to optimize emails.
• And much more…

Microsoft Copilot Pricing

Microsoft Copilot offers three different pricing options based on the features you need:

• Copilot Free: This is the free version of Copilot and includes chatting with text, voice and images, document and webpage summarization, AI image generation, and the use of plugins and Copilot GPTs. Commercial data protection is also available at no additional cost to eligible Microsoft Entra ID users.
• Copilot Pro ($20/user/month): This version includes everything in Copilot Free, plus priority access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, faster image generation, and the use of Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. A Microsoft email address is required to access these features.
• Copilot for Microsoft 365 ($30/user/month): Billed with an annual subscription, this version includes everything in Copilot Pro, plus Copilot in Teams, enterprise-grade data protections, and extensibility through Microsoft Copilot Studio. This pricing option can only be purchased with a Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Microsoft 365 Business Premium license.

Conclusion: Navigating AI with Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot is a revolutionary tool that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and assists you in taking your productivity and creativity to new heights. Its context-aware capabilities allow for a seamless user experience and natural conversation flow, making it an invaluable asset for tasks such as generating unique content, finding information, and optimizing documents and workflows. It integrates with Microsoft 365 apps, thus allowing you to elevate existing operations and continue working with programs you already use on a daily basis.

When it comes to cost, Microsoft Copilot offers multiple versions that cater to a wide range of needs and budgets. Individuals, those seeking a more enhanced experience, and businesses with enterprise-level demands will all find a pricing plan that fulfills their requirements. All in all, Microsoft Copilot is a helpful AI assistant with capabilities that are constantly evolving and expanding.

To learn more about further Microsoft tools, check out our blog posts about Microsoft Power Automate and Microsoft Power BI. If you have open questions or need additional assistance streamlining your processes, feel free to schedule a free consultation with us!