Microsoft 365 Copilot Review 2024: What It Is, How to Use It & Is It Worth It?

Microsoft 365 Copilot is a real boon for those who spend a lot of time working with Microsoft's productivity suite. It's like having a personal assistant that's always ready to help you out with your documents, emails, and presentations. The tool is designed to help you get started more quickly, offering suggestions and insights that can help you create better content, faster. It's particularly useful for those who aren't confident writers, as it can help with spelling, grammar, clarity, and readability.

But it's not just about writing. Copilot can also help you glean insights from your data or emails, making it a versatile tool for a range of tasks. The AI integration is smooth and unobtrusive, working alongside you rather than taking over. It's currently only available in a limited private preview, but expect to see more AI features coming to your Microsoft 365 apps soon.

However, like all AI tools, Copilot has its limitations. There are tasks that it's not well suited for, and it's important to be aware of these. Microsoft encourages users to experiment with the tool and provide feedback, which suggests that they're committed to improving it over time. The company's commitment to responsible AI is also reassuring, with a focus on reliability, safety, privacy, security, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability.

In terms of privacy, Copilot is built on Microsoft's comprehensive approach to security, compliance, and privacy. Your data isn't used to train the large language models that Copilot uses, which is a big plus for those concerned about data security. However, it's worth noting that the tool is still in its early stages, so it's possible that there may be some teething issues.

Given that Microsoft 365 Copilot is integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite, it's likely that it will be included as part of the subscription cost. This could make it a cost-effective option for businesses that are already using Microsoft 365, but less so for those who aren't. Copilot will also be available for commercial customers for $30 per user per month for Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard and Business Premium customers when broadly available.