Microsoft has quickly expanded Copilot, its AI assistant, but the variety of versions and features can be confusing. Here are the main distinctions and new features:
Table of Contents
All Windows Users
- Free Copilot features are built into Windows, accessible from the taskbar, the Edge browser, or copilot.microsoft.com.
- Basic use doesn’t require an M365 license and relies on web data and prompts.
- Microsoft aims for easy, universal access to Copilot’s AI tools.
Consumer Microsoft 365 Users
- Copilot in Personal, Family, or Premium plans can help draft or summarize documents and analyze Excel data.
- Premium users get more AI credits and exclusive agents, such as Researcher and the upcoming Analyst.
- New integrations include File Explorer, Notifications Center, and enhanced calendar functions.
Copilot+ PCs
- These have a neural processing unit (NPU) for advanced local AI tasks.
- Features include semantic search, PDF-to-Excel conversion, video enhancements, and Paint’s Cocreator.
M365 Business Users
- Get consumer features plus enterprise-specific ones, such as Copilot Chat with enterprise data protection.
- Shareable Copilot Pages, deeper Outlook integration, and richer interactive “agent mode” in Office apps.
- M365 Copilot adds Work IQ, leveraging corporate knowledge to deliver personalized answers and automate tasks.