Microsoft’s professional AI assistant 365 Copilot is now generally available for (especially) business customers. However, there are some conditions and a price.
After extensive testing by multiple companies, 365 Copilot is now generally available, as expected. Microsoft imposes certain conditions for the use of its professional AI assistant. Companies must have at least three hundred registered users and pay a premium of thirty US dollars per account.
Not for everyone
However, companies that want to get started with 365 Copilot cannot jump out of the starting blocks right away. If you have enough staff and want to raise the $9,000 per month, you will need to contact your Microsoft representative.
Anyone with versions E3 or E5 of 365 can start using Bing Chat Enterprise immediately. This also applies to the Business Standard and Premium accounts. Only E3 or E5 account holders can already purchase 365, so others will have to wait a bit.
Boundaries
Currently, Microsoft 365 Copilot is available in these languages:
- English (UK, Canada, USA, India and Australia versions)
- Spanish (Spain and Mexico versions)
- Japanese
- French (versions for France and Canada)
- German
- Portuguese (Brazilian version)
- Italian
- Simplified Chinese
Other languages ​​are planned, such as Dutch, traditional Chinese, Portugal’s version of Portuguese or Ukrainian. The rollout is planned for the first half of next year.
Anyone who buys the new AI assistant now does not yet have access to all functions. Copilot for Excel is still in preview, Copilot for OneNote is only available on Windows, SharePoint Copilot preview doesn’t start until this month, and Copilot for OneDrive preview isn’t scheduled until December. Of course, there are undoubtedly many features that users can already start using.
optimism
Despite the preliminary limitations, price and the demands of an already well-equipped workforce, the outlook for 365 Copilot is positive. Various sources predict good numbers for Microsoft and its AI assistant.
The American media company CNBC assumes that 365 Copilot can generate annual sales of more than ten billion dollars by 2026. According to consulting and research firm Forrester, 6.9 million knowledge workers in the US alone will use 365 Copilot next year.