Users of Microsoft 365 apps will not only be presented with a mandatory Copilot app, but also a sidebar with Copilot chat functionality.
Microsoft is integrating its Copilot app into the desktop versions of Microsoft 365 Suite apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Additionally, the apps are getting Copilot Chat in the sidebar to draft documents, analyze spreadsheets, and more.
Mandatory Installation
The new app integrates the AI assistant Copilot into Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and also provides access to features like Notebooks and AI agents. It automatically appears in the Start menu and is enabled by default, allowing users to discover productivity-enhancing features more quickly. IT administrators can disable the automatic installation.
Microsoft will begin rolling out the Copilot app in October. This applies only to countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and should be completed by mid-November.
Free Chat Function
Additionally, Microsoft is introducing its Copilot Chat. “Copilot Chat is secure web-based AI chat that is now available in Microsoft 365 apps,” says Seth Patton, Marketing Director of Microsoft 365 Copilot. “It’s free for Microsoft 365 users, so you don’t need a license.”
Of course, such a license, costing nearly 30 euros per month, does offer advantages. “Licensed users get priority for features like file uploads and image generation. They can also be the first to use the latest technologies like GPT-5, get faster responses, and better availability.”