Microsoft unveiled on Friday a new vision for integrating Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into its AI-powered utility "Copilot," aiming to make artificial intelligence the gateway to its popular software suite.
In the coming weeks, individual Microsoft 365 subscribers and businesses participating in its pilot program will be able to create, edit, and share files directly within Copilot, without having to switch between applications.
“Many have added simplified document viewing tools to their products over the past year,” Jacob Andreu, executive vice president in charge of Copilot, told AFP. “But what we’re offering here is a fully-fledged ‘Office’ in every sense of the word,” he added, alluding to OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, and Anthropic, the developer of Cloud, both of which launched their own document creation tools in recent months.
Microsoft unveiled a suite of internally developed modules in June, but they currently power only a limited number of products, including Copilot, a GitHub programming tool, according to Andreu.
The company also announced a low-cost module for routine tasks in June, but it has not yet been released.
Copilot now also includes Autopilot, a program capable of continuously and autonomously performing tasks.
The program, formerly known as Scout, was described by Microsoft in June as its first "always-on" AI assistant, capable of operating online even when the computer is turned off.
The service is currently limited to a small number of customers.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella likened the introduction of these AI tools into the workplace to the rise of the personal computer, when emailed Excel spreadsheets gradually replaced printed internal memos sent by fax.
He said one of the biggest challenges is enabling companies to transition from one AI model to another without losing their data or expertise in the process.
As for pricing, Copilot's $30-per-user monthly subscription provides access to basic AI features, such as data analysis and document drafting.
However, the cost of advanced, more powerful AI tools is calculated based on usage.
Andrew said companies should identify their top performers—"the best 10 or 20 percent"—and start giving them access to the most powerful agent tools.
MICROSOFT
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