Microsoft on Monday announced the launch of Copilot Pro, an artificial intelligence subscription priced at $20 per month for consumers and small businesses in a move to broaden its market reach beyond large enterprises.
This is based on a Reuters report.
Following the introduction of a free version for Bing search engine last year, Copilot Pro aims to enhance Microsoft’s widely used applications, including Word and Excel, by adding a text-drafting, number-crunching AI assistant.
Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, told Reuters, “I can’t imagine a commercial organisation out there that will not buy at least a seat of Copilot to see what it’s all about.”
The Copilot Pro subscription provides users access to new tools and advanced AI models, such as GPT-4 Turbo, marking Microsoft’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI capabilities.
The move is seen as part of Microsoft’s strategy to encourage a wider user base, offering a more integrated and feature-rich experience within its everyday applications.
“Copilot Pro would stand apart because it is integrated into applications that people use every day,” Reuters quoted Spataro as saying.
This development comes in the wake of Microsoft removing the 300-person minimum requirement for the enterprise version of the software, making the security controls and Microsoft Teams upgrade available to smaller businesses at the $30 per-month per-user Copilot subscription level.
Microsoft is positioning Copilot Pro to become an essential tool for individuals and small businesses, aiming to create a comprehensive ecosystem that spans across various user segments.
The move is seen as a competitive response to Alphabet’s Google, which is actively marketing AI for productivity and cloud software to business customers.
Microsoft’s foray into the consumer AI market with Copilot Pro places it in direct competition with OpenAI, a company Microsoft has funded.
OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Plus, a $20-per-month subscription nearly a year ago, offering early access to new features and AI models.
Despite the competition, Spataro expressed confidence that Copilot Pro would distinguish itself by being seamlessly integrated into everyday applications.
The subscription’s affordability and its integration into widely used Microsoft applications are expected to be key factors in enticing consumers and small businesses to adopt this AI-driven offering.
(With inputs from Reuters)
