Microsoft integrates Word, Excel deeper into Copilot

Microsoft is revamping its AI-powered assistant, Copilot, to seamlessly integrate its popular software suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The company aims to make Copilot the primary entry point for users to create, edit, and share files without the need to switch between applications. Jacob Andreou, an executive vice president in charge of Copilot, emphasized that this represents a significant leap from simple document viewers that have been integrated into products in recent months.

Copilot will now offer full-blown Office functionality, allowing users to generate, modify, and disseminate documents directly within the AI assistant. While other AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic have launched their own document creation tools in recent months, Microsoft's Copilot relies primarily on their models for functionality.

In June, Microsoft unveiled its own in-house models, which currently power only a few products, such as GitHub's Copilot coding tool. However, a low-cost model for routine tasks and a low-cost model have yet to be launched.

Additionally, Copilot now incorporates Autopilot, software designed to handle automated tasks independently, previously known as Scout. While limited to a few clients, Autopilot represents Microsoft's first "always-on" AI assistant capable of running online even when a computer is turned off. CEO Satya Nadella likened the introduction of these AI tools in the workplace to the arrival of personal computers, noting their potential to revolutionize how businesses operate.

One of the primary challenges, according to Nadella, is enabling a company to transition between AI models without losing data or expertise. To address this, Nadella proposed a private evaluation system that would allow companies to switch between models seamlessly. Copilot subscriptions in the US will cost US$30 (RM122.22) per user per month for basic AI features, such as data analysis or document drafting.

Advanced agents, which demand more computing power, will be billed based on usage, targeting the best-performing employees in an organization—the top 10 or 20 percent.