Microsoft launched a new AI service, Copilot Chat, on Wednesday, aiming to help businesses integrate on-demand AI agents for routine tasks. The service, which uses OpenAI’s GPT-4, is designed to make AI more accessible with a pay-as-you-go model that could drive widespread adoption. Copilot Chat allows users to create AI agents in natural languages, such as English and Mandarin, for tasks including market research, writing strategy documents, and meeting preparation.
While the basic service is free, additional features like summarizing and transcribing Teams calls and creating PowerPoint slides are available through a $30 monthly Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. Microsoft, which has invested heavily in AI infrastructure, including a projected $80 billion this fiscal year on data centers and AI-related projects, is under pressure to demonstrate the financial return on these investments.
Despite some initial skepticism about Copilot’s uptake, as highlighted by a Gartner report, Microsoft has continued to promote the service. In November, the company started enabling customers to create autonomous AI agents requiring minimal human oversight, a move that some analysts see as a potential way for tech companies to monetize AI more efficiently.
