Microsoft has announced the integration of the free Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and agents into its Office applications for all Microsoft 365 business users. This update affects Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, introducing a Copilot Chat sidebar designed to assist users in drafting documents, analyzing spreadsheets, and more, without the need for an additional Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Seth Patton, General Manager of Microsoft 365 Copilot product marketing, described Copilot Chat as a secure AI chat solution grounded in web technology. He stated that it is content-aware, allowing it to quickly grasp the context of the user’s work and tailor responses based on the open file. Importantly, this feature is available at no extra cost for Microsoft 365 users.
While the free version of Copilot offers document rewriting, summarization, and slide creation capabilities in PowerPoint, it is noted that the paid version—priced at $30 per month per user—provides enhanced integration within Office apps. The subscription also allows users to work across multiple documents, enabling them to analyze broader work datasets.
According to Patton, users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license benefit from priority access to features such as file uploads and image generation. They also enjoy improvements from advanced technologies like GPT-5, offering faster response times and more reliable availability, even during peak usage.
Previously, Microsoft had included AI-powered Copilot features in consumer Microsoft 365 plans but adjusted subscription prices simultaneously. However, no price changes are being implemented for businesses as Copilot Chat is rolled out. Furthermore, Microsoft plans to bundle its Copilot offerings for sales, service, and finance into the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription this October, which may provide cost reductions for some businesses leveraging these AI tools.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/778272/microsoft-office-free-copilot-ai-features-copilot-chat