AI/ML

Microsoft Expands Copilot Access to SMBs

Microsoft is rolling out new enhancements for its AI-driven products and introducing new offers, including Copilot Pro and the expansion of Copilot for Microsoft 365 to a broader range of customers. 

These updates are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to enhance productivity and creativity through AI technology, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Copilot Pro is a premium subscription service aimed at individual users. This new offering will enhance the AI capabilities available to users, integrating Copilot AI with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, the company claims. 

Features of Copilot Pro

Notably, Copilot Pro introduces the ability to create “customized Copilot GPTs,” which allows users to tailor the behavior of Microsoft Copilot to specific topics or areas of interest. This customization is achieved through a set of prompts that guide the AI to focus on particular subjects, thereby creating a more personalized and relevant user experience.

For instance, if a user is particularly interested in a field like fitness, travel, or cooking, they can create a Copilot GPT that specializes in these areas. This means the AI will be more adept at providing information, suggestions, and assistance that are closely aligned with the user's specified interests.

Copilot Pro features include:

  • A unified AI experience across devices.
  • Copilot integration in Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on various platforms.
  • Priority access to OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo, offering faster performance during peak times.
  • Enhanced AI image creation capabilities and a boost in daily image processing.
  • The upcoming Copilot GPT Builder for creating topic-specific Copilot GPTs.

Expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365 to Businesses of All Sizes

The company also announced that it is extending its Copilot for Microsoft 365 offering, previously available primarily for large enterprises, to businesses of all sizes. This expansion includes Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Business Standard, with options for small businesses to purchase between one and 299 seats. The update removes the 300-seat purchase minimum for commercial plans and makes Copilot accessible for Office 365 E3 and E5 customers.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 integrates AI capabilities across a user's data environment, including emails, meetings, documents, and web content. It offers features like generating status updates from daily interactions and streamlining tasks in Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft applications.