Microsoft is rolling out its Copilot AI and Microsoft Designer tools to a broader audience, integrating them into its Microsoft 365 Personal and Family tiers. While this expansion brings AI-powered tools to millions more users globally, it also comes with a slight subscription price increase.
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What’s Changing
Starting soon, Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers in the US will see a $3 increase in their monthly subscription costs. This change enables access to Copilot, an AI assistant integrated into popular apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.
Microsoft Designer, the company’s AI-powered image generation tool, will also be included, offering capabilities for photo editing, logo creation, and more. Subscribers will receive monthly AI credits to use across these tools.
Microsoft’s Vision
Bryan Rognier, Vice President of Microsoft 365 Consumer, emphasized the company’s commitment to accessibility:
“Our plan has always been to make Copilot in the Microsoft 365 apps more accessible to a wider audience at a great price. These changes bring the transformative power of AI to the personal productivity tools that millions of people use every day.“
The company estimates this update will bring Copilot AI features to “most” of its 84 million consumer subscribers worldwide.
Alternatives for Subscribers
For users hesitant about the price hike, Microsoft offers alternatives:
- Basic Plan: A more affordable option without Copilot or AI credits.
- Classic Plans: Temporary options for existing subscribers to switch to Personal Classic or Family Classic tiers, avoiding AI-related price increases.
Microsoft vs. Google
Microsoft’s announcement follows its recent launch of Copilot Chat, a secure GPT-4-powered AI service for enterprise users. The timing also aligns with Google’s rollout of Gemini AI for all Google Workspace tiers, offering the service at no extra cost—though some users may still face price increases.
It looks like the AI arms race is well under way, and Microsoft, who obviously employs GPT-4, seems to have the better market popularity. However, it is also true that despite the initial hiccups, Google’s Gemini AI Assistant has gone from strength to strength, and is now as potent as its Microsoft counterpart.
Which one do you use – Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini?
