Launch of Microsoft Copilot Chat Set to Breakdown Barriers to AI Accessibility
Microsoft’s latest offering, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, adds pay-as-you-go agents to existing free chat experience for Microsoft 365.
Rather than locking organisations into upfront licences for tools they may not use – Microsoft’s game-changing pricing model delivers accessibility, scaleability, and mitigates adoption risk.
- Organisations will be able to experiment with Copilot tools and automation, gaining trust in AI-powered processes, without hefty licensing commitments
- As organisations expand or discover more applications for AI, they can increase their usage without the need to renegotiate contracts
- Organisations that are cautious about fully automating can now experiment gradually, helping them build trust in AI-driven workflows
The pricing change will see workforces able to take advantage of Microsoft’s free web-based Copilot and the new pay-as-you-go pricing to launch “agents” to automate tasks.
Copilot Chat allows users to ask business-related questions, summarise key points in files, draft documents or create an AI-generated image. The result will see organisations move beyond search for intranet and knowledge-based content – supercharging productivity and efficiency.
Users will be able to create Copilot agents to automate repetitive tasks and business processes – directly in Copilot Chat. And IT admins will be able to build organisation-wide agents and manage agent deployment.
The new pay-per-use AI agents billing model enables payment through an Azure subscription based on usage, rather than the number of licenses. The rollout began mid-January 2025, with general availability by early February. Admins must set up billing in the Microsoft 365 admin center to activate this service.
Do you need help to develop your Copilot strategy or complete a readiness assessment? Reach out to our team, we’re experts in information management, security and protection in an increasingly AI enabled world.
