Microsoft Implements Free Copilot Chat and Agents in Office Apps for All Business Users

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Tom Warren is a senior editor and author of Notepad, with over 20 years of experience covering Microsoft, PCs, and technology.

Microsoft has announced that it is adding the free Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and agents to Office applications for all Microsoft 365 business users starting today. The suite of apps—including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote—will be updated with a Copilot Chat sidebar that assists users in drafting documents, analyzing spreadsheets, and more, all without requiring an additional Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Secure and Content-Aware AI Assistance

Seth Patton, General Manager of Microsoft 365 Copilot product marketing, explains that “Copilot Chat is secure AI chat grounded in the web—and now, it’s available in the Microsoft 365 apps.” He emphasizes that the feature is content-aware, meaning it quickly understands the context of the open file and provides tailored responses accordingly. This integration is included at no extra cost for Microsoft 365 users.

Functionality and Licensing Options

While the free version of Copilot offers document rewriting, summaries, and slide creation in PowerPoint, users who opt for the $30-per-month, per-user Microsoft 365 Copilot license will enjoy deeper integration within Office applications. The premium license is not limited to a single document; it can reason over entire work datasets, providing more comprehensive assistance.

Patton notes, “Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license get priority access to features like file upload and image generation, along with the latest technology such as GPT-5, offering faster response times and more reliable availability—especially during peak usage periods.”

Pricing and Future Plans

Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced AI-powered Copilot features into Office apps for consumer Microsoft 365 plans, coinciding with subscription price increases. However, Microsoft is not adjusting prices for business plans now that Copilot Chat is being integrated into Office apps.

In October, Microsoft plans to bundle its sales, service, and finance Copilots into the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, which could lower costs for businesses relying heavily on these AI tools.

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