TL;DR:
- Microsoft introduces Copilot Pro subscription at $20 per month.
- Offers AI-powered features in Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Provides priority access to OpenAI models and customization of Copilot GPT.
- Existing Microsoft 365 subscribers get immediate access.
- Consumers can generate PowerPoint slides and rephrase text using Copilot.
- The consumer version lacks the ability to create PowerPoint from Word due to technology limitations.
- Copilot Pro also includes access to OpenAI models and image creation improvements.
- Microsoft aims to cater to power users’ demands for rapid access to the latest AI models.
- To unlock Office-related Copilot features, users need a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- Copilot Pro’s continual improvement aligns with Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing AI offerings.
- Microsoft expands Copilot for Microsoft 365 to more businesses, removing seat limitations.
Main AI News:
Microsoft has unveiled its latest offering: the Copilot Pro subscription, priced at $20 per month. Building on the foundation of its AI-powered Office features initially launched for businesses in November, Microsoft is now extending this capability to consumers. This subscription provides access to cutting-edge AI-powered functionalities within Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, in addition to delivering priority access to the latest OpenAI models and the ability to construct your personalized Copilot GPT.
For existing Microsoft 365 Personal or Home subscribers, an additional $20 per month per person unlocks Copilot within Office applications on Mac, Windows, and iPad. These enhancements encompass the ability to effortlessly generate complete PowerPoint slide decks from a chatbot-like prompt, as well as seamless Copilot integration in Word, enabling users to rephrase paragraphs, create text, and summarize documents. Copilot will also make its presence felt in Outlook.com, aiding in email responses and content generation. An early version of Copilot is accessible in Excel, facilitating data analysis, graph generation, and more.
Most of the features enjoyed by businesses over the past few months will now be accessible to consumers, with the notable exception of the capability to summon Copilot to create PowerPoint presentations based on Word documents. This particular functionality is not yet available for the consumer version, as it does not rely on Microsoft’s Graph technology.
In addition to its integration with Office, Copilot Pro offers access to the latest OpenAI models, enhancements to the Image Creator from Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator), and the ability to create a customized Copilot GPT.
For those who are not Microsoft 365 subscribers, subscribing exclusively to Copilot Pro ensures priority access to GPT-4 Turbo within Copilot, promising faster performance during peak times and the ability to switch between models seamlessly. The quality of image creation using OpenAI’s DALL-E models will also see significant improvements, along with the introduction of a new landscape image format. Copilot Pro’s subscription package will soon incorporate a Copilot GPT Builder, allowing users to craft their unique Copilot GPT models, mirroring the version launched for businesses last year.
Microsoft intends to cater to the demands of Copilot power users with this new subscription offering, addressing their need for swift access to the latest models, improved performance, and enhanced creativity tools. Divya Kumar, global head of marketing for search and AI at Microsoft, emphasized the motivation behind this move in a conversation with The Verge, highlighting the demand from power users.
To fully unlock the potential of Copilot Pro’s features related to Office, users will need to subscribe to Microsoft 365 Personal or Family. These features will be accessible on the web, Windows or Mac applications, and mobile devices. Moreover, Microsoft has plans to continue enhancing Copilot Pro, following the trend of ongoing improvements observed in Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) over the past year.
Kumar likened this progression to a “rolling thunder” of AI advancements from Microsoft, indicating that Copilot Pro is set to offer an array of features and functionalities, further augmenting its premium value proposition. Additionally, Microsoft is expanding its Copilot for Microsoft 365 offering to more businesses, eliminating the previous 300-seat minimum requirement and allowing most business customers to subscribe at a rate of $30 per user per month, starting today.
Conclusion:
Microsoft’s Copilot Pro subscription marks a strategic move to democratize AI capabilities for consumers, enabling seamless integration into Office apps and fostering productivity. The expansion of Copilot’s features, along with the commitment to ongoing enhancements, signifies Microsoft’s dedication to staying at the forefront of the AI market, catering to the demands of power users, and extending its reach to more businesses.
