Microsoft is integrating AI into its 365 programs with Copilot. Word, PowerPoint and Co become around 30 percent more expensive. If you forego this, you save the extra charge.
Microsoft's Copilot is now available. (Source: Montage: Netzwelt / Image: Pixabay, Microsoft)
Big tech companies like Google, Samsung and Apple have already launched an AI offensive. Microsoft is also taking part in the race for the best artificial intelligence with its “copilot”. From now on, subscribers to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family can also try out artificial intelligence.
The tool has been integrated directly into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Co. to support you with various tasks. As soon as you have the latest Office version, the Copilot will appear in the toolbar at the top right. You can use the functions by clicking on the symbol.
The Copilot is integrated directly into Word and Co. (Source: Netzwelt)
What can the copilot do?
In Word, for example, the AI can generate texts, summarize them or answer questions about the document. In PowerPoint you can use Copilot to create entire presentations from a Word file. In addition, the copilot should be able to help collect important data in both applications.
Microsoft has so far presented most of the functions for the online meeting platform Teams. The copilot can summarize the chat from the last 30 days and respond with sources. The AI can also create transcripts in real time and highlight key points or next steps. Ideas can be automatically generated, organized and summarized on the whiteboard.
Excel should be able to give you suggestions for formulas or various charts to give you a better insight into your data. Thanks to Copilot, the popular email program Outlook can help you write better emails or summarize emails so that you can understand the content more quickly. For other programs such as OneNote or Forms, only drafts have been presented so far.
Microsoft 365 is more expensive with Copilot
Despite the new options, many users are not enthusiastic about the copilot. The reason is a price increase that Microsoft is introducing with the AI tool. The personal subscription will in future cost 99 instead of 69 dollars per year, while the price of the family subscription will be increased from 99 to 129 dollars. This corresponds to an increase of around 30 percent.
With Copilot, Microsoft is also introducing so-called AI credits. Every AI action, regardless of whether you generate images or texts, costs a credit. Anyone who has subscribed to the Microsoft Designer app receives 15 monthly credits. Anyone who has a 365 single or family subscription receives 60 AI credits per month. A shortcoming of the family subscription is that only the holder can access the AI credit. It can only be shared if you also take out a Copilot Pro subscription. With this you have unlimited access to all features.
You can view your AI balance. (Source: Netzwelt)
The credits are reset at the beginning of each month – so you cannot save credit over several months. If you don't want to pay anymore, you can switch to a Classic tariff, but has to do without the new co-pilot and thus many exciting functions.
Microsoft justifies the higher prices with the expanded range of functions. The group also points out that this is the first price increase since 2013. On one Anfrage US-Portals How-To Geek They further explain that the price of the personal subscription, adjusted for inflation, would now cost around 134 dollars per year.
Activate copilot
Since January 16th you can also use Microsoft Copilot without restrictions in Germany. Previously, the feature was only available in a beta version. To activate the new AI feature, you need Windows 11 and the latest versions of Word, PowerPoint and Co.
The Copilot was distributed by Microsoft. (Source: Netzwelt)
To install this, you can open any 365 app. Over File > Account > Update Options you can check which version you are on and, if necessary, carry out an update. You then have to agree to the data protection regulations and reopen the application. You should now have the latest version with the integrated copilot.
Conclusion
Sure, the new Copilot costs extra, but you can also stick with the cheaper subscription if you forego the AI features. But if you like working with tools like ChatGPT, Copilot is a practical option – everything is integrated directly into the Office programs, which can be practical and helpful.
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