Microsoft announced yesterday that Copilot Pro, a generative AI subscription plan for individual power users, is now available. People interested in using Copilot while traveling can now access it through a Copilot app or the Microsoft 365 mobile app.
Additionally, Microsoft's Copilot generative AI assistant for Microsoft 365 is now available to companies interested in offering the product to fewer than 299 seats. Subscribing to Copilot for Microsoft 365 for enterprise allows employees to use data from all Microsoft products in their company to provide more data to generative AI, allowing it to use more information in context. Microsoft assures customers that Microsoft's enterprise-grade security and compliance also applies to data used by generative AI.
Copilot runs on the Microsoft Azure OpenAI service, which is only available in North America and Europe. You can find more information about how to opt into these regions to use the service elsewhere through Microsoft.
Copilot Pro plan offers the latest generative AI models for advanced users
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers can now use Copilot's generative AI features with the Copilot Pro plan. The $20 per person per month plan is intended for super users who want faster generative AI models (starting with GPT- 4 OpenAI Turbo during peak hours) and be able to sync Copilot work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote on the PC. , Mac and iPad; The Excel version is in preview.
Microsoft is targeting AI image creators with this plan, offering Designer Image Creator (formerly Bing Image Creator) with more detailed image quality compared to the free version and with a landscape image format.
Copilot Pro subscribers will have access to Copilot GPT Builder when it becomes available; the company said it will be available soon. Copilot GPT Builder, like OpenAI's GPT Builder, allows people to create personalized chatbots using natural language prompts.
The new Copilot plan for Microsoft 365 for SMEs was created
Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscriptions used to be available only to customers interested in purchasing 300 seats; Now, small and medium-sized companies can purchase between one and 299 seats.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 will be available for purchase in addition to existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Business Standard subscriptions. Office 365 E3 and E5 customers can now use Copilot for Microsoft 365 without a Microsoft 365 license.
SEE: Generative AI was a hot topic at CES 2024 this year, with some companies like Rabbit proposing that AI could change the way people access online services (TechRepublic)
One major difference between Copilot Pro and Copilot for Microsoft 365 for enterprise is that the latter comes with Copilot integration into Microsoft Teams.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 was developed in part using feedback from an early SMB program, said Brenna Robinson, general manager of Microsoft 365 for SMBs at Microsoft in an email to TechRepublic.
“Customers tell us that Copilot helps them cut through the noise and unclutter their busy work, so they can focus on the work that really matters, which is growing their businesses,” Robinson said.
Copilot available on mobile devices and in the Microsoft 365 app
Android and iOS users can now access the Copilot app (Figure A); They will be able to sync chats and queries from their phone to their Windows PC. The Copilot app connects users to GPT-4 and Dall-E 3.
Figure A
Microsoft individual account holders on Android and iOS mobile phones will be able to access Copilot in the Microsoft 365 mobile app later in 2024. Microsoft said on January 15, 2024 that Copilot in the Microsoft 365 mobile app will roll out “over the next month”. .”
The Copilot app and the Microsoft 365 app can be found on the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Microsoft offers custom GPTs
Like OpenAI, Microsoft is betting on GPTs to show people what specific uses generative AI has, from organizing trips and presentations to offering recipes. Copilot GPTs are now available based on select topics. Microsoft says the first GPTs will offer natural language conversations about “fitness, travel, cooking, and more.” More GPTs will likely become available as Copilot Pro subscribers create GPTs in Copilot GPT Builder.
Competitors to Copilot Pro and Copilot for Microsoft 365 for enterprise
The main competitors to these Copilot offerings are OpenAI and Google. OpenAI has its own power user subscription, ChatGPT Plus, and a version with enterprise-grade services and privacy called ChatGPT Enterprise. Google's Bard extensions add generative AI to Gmail, Docs, Drive, and other Google services.
