Microsoft integrates Word, Excel deeper into Copilot

Microsoft revealed its plans to deepen integration of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint within its AI-driven assistant, Copilot. The objective is to make AI the primary interface for the renowned productivity software suite. In the upcoming weeks, Microsoft 365 subscribers and businesses participating in a testing program will be capable of creating, editing, and sharing files using Copilot without the need to switch between applications.

Jacob Andreou, an executive vice president overseeing Copilot, stated that this is a comprehensive Office experience. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and Claude-maker Anthropic, recent document creation tool providers, are significant contributors to Microsoft, as Copilot primarily utilizes their models. Although Microsoft unveiled its own models in June, they currently only power a few products like GitHub's Copilot coding tool, according to Andreou.

In addition to Copilot, Microsoft has introduced Autopilot, a software designed to handle automated tasks independently, previously known as Scout. Microsoft described this in June as the company's first "always-on" AI assistant. However, this feature is currently limited to a select few clients.

CEO Satya Nadella likened the introduction of these AI tools to the emergence of personal computers, noting that an Excel spreadsheet shared via email eventually replaced faxed internal memos. One major challenge, he explained, is enabling a company to transition between AI models without losing data or expertise.

Regarding pricing, a Copilot subscription for $30 per user per month will grant access to basic AI features like data analysis and document drafting. These features are intended for the entire organization. Advanced agents, which require more computational resources, will be billed based on usage. Nadella suggested focusing on the top 10 or 20 percent of employees to provide access to the more powerful agentic tools.