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Microsoft relaunches Copilot for business with free AI chat and pay-as-you-go agents
In a bid to tempt more businesses into relying on its AI technology, Microsoft has relaunched its Copilot service as Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. The new offering is designed to be a more affordable and flexible option for businesses looking to adopt AI-powered chat capabilities.
As the name suggests, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is free to use, with access to GPT-4o for queries. This means users can ask questions and receive responses in a way that is similar to existing AI-powered chatbots on the market.
One of the key features of this new service is the inclusion of AI agents. These virtual colleagues are designed to work like humans, performing tasks such as monitoring email inboxes or automating routine processes. The agents can be created and managed using Copilot Studio, which also provides access to web-based data and even Microsoft Graph.
However, while the free version of Copilot Chat is an attractive offering for businesses looking to dip their toes into AI-powered chat capabilities, it’s not without its limitations. For example, users will only have limited access to the Microsoft Graph, which could limit the scope of tasks that can be performed by agents.
To get full access to Copilot’s features and capabilities, businesses will need to pay $30 per user per month. This is a significant price hike compared to other AI-powered chat services on the market, and it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will be able to convince enough companies to shell out for the premium service.
In an effort to mitigate this issue, Microsoft has also introduced a pay-as-you-go option for its AI agents. This allows businesses to only pay for the number of queries they make or the tasks that are performed by the agents, rather than having to commit to a full monthly subscription.
Microsoft claims that it has already seen significant adoption of Copilot Chat among businesses that rely on its software and services. According to the company, users who have adopted the technology have become accustomed to its value and appreciate the benefits it can bring to their work processes.
However, with an ongoing debate over the true value of a $30 per user per month subscription to Microsoft 365 Copilot, it remains to be seen whether this new offering will be enough to sway more businesses towards adopting the premium service.
Source: www.theverge.com
