AI has developed exponentially over the past couple of years going from limited chatbots to some of the most robust productivity tools you can find. There are a range of AI chatbots you can access from ChatGPT to Gemini but one of the most popular options is Microsoft‘s Copilot thanks to the fact it comes built into the majority of Windows PCs and Laptops.
From generating beautiful presentation slides in PowerPoint to analyzing massive data sets in Excel, Copilot is now woven into the fabric of the Microsoft 365 suite, using your real-time work context to deliver personalized results.
Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just trying to navigate the complex world of AI, you’ll want to know how this powerhouse works. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide covering everything you need to know about Microsoft Copilot, including which model actually powers it, how much it costs, and what major features are coming next.
What is Copilot?
Copilot is an AI companion from Microsoft designed to help you with a range of tasks from everyday admin chores right down to more intense coding projects. You can also use Copilot as a chatbot and a tool for generating pictures and more. You can access it on a load of platforms, from PCs, Macs and your mobile phone.
You can also access Microsoft 365 Copilot, which is specifically designed to work with Microsoft 365 applications like Word and PowerPoint. This deeper-integrated option helps you create documents, presentations or spreadsheets or can offer you editing suggestions to ensure your work is the best it can be.
This powerful AI assistant is designed to seamlessly integrate into your daily workflow across the Microsoft ecosystem and is built using an orchestration of advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) from providers like OpenAI.
Its core function is to act as a digital “co-pilot,” automating repetitive tasks, generating creative content, summarizing documents, and analyzing data within the context of the applications you are using. Whether drafting a complex report in Word, finding formulas in Excel, or summarizing a missed meeting in Teams, Copilot is designed to boost productivity by handling the tedious work, allowing you to focus on high-value, strategic tasks.
How much does Copilot cost?
Copilot has both free and paid for versions. The free version, which can be accessed by anyone, allows you to use basic features like summarizing large amounts of information or generating images.
The paid for edition of Copilot – called Microsoft Copilot Pro – costs $20 a month. You will still need to have a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan if you would like to use Microsoft 365 Copilot, and sadly it does not come included with the cost so this will set you back upwards of $69 per year.
The paid edition gives you far more functionality including deep research providing you with comprehensive reports in minutes. You can also use the AI on multiple devices at once if you have the Pro edition.
What’s the latest version of Copilot?
The latest edition of Copilot uses GPT-5, which is OpenAI’s newest generative AI model. This is the same model which is used for ChatGPT too, after being released on August 7 2025.
Some of the major benefits of the latest model when compared to its predecessor is that it allows for enhanced reasoning which provides faster responses to complex questions as well as expanded creation capabilities including image generation and writing drafts. The Copilot app has also been majorly upgraded with a more modern design and smoother navigation.
What can Copilot do?
Copilot can help you out with a range of tasks in order to optimize workflow. The main features which Microsoft Copilot prides itself in is boosting productivity, simplifying automation and providing contextual intelligence.
This includes document creation including drafting reports, presentations and emails from writing out the whole document for you down to editing suggestions. You can also analyze data in Excel which then allows you to generate formulas and keep track of your schedule in Teams. If you’re someone who’s constantly drowning in emails, then Copilot can help out by summarizing your emails and provide you with a list of key actions items from your inbox and prioritize more important senders.
Here are some examples of prompts you can use:
- Microsoft Word: You ask Copilot to generate a first draft of a document based on existing materials. Example: “Draft a two-page project proposal using the key points from the ‘Q4 Planning’ document and adopt a persuasive, formal tone.”
- Microsoft Excel: Copilot analyzes a large data table and generates insights or formulas. Example: “Show me the top five sales regions by profit margin and generate a PivotTable to summarize last quarter’s growth trends.”
- Microsoft PowerPoint: Copilot creates an entire presentation from an existing document or a simple idea. Example: “Create a ten-slide presentation from my Word report on the ‘Project Phoenix Launch’ and suggest speaker notes for each slide.”
- Windows or Web: Copilot acts as a general assistant that can operate across your entire PC or the internet. Example: “Summarize the key trends from the Digital Trends homepage and adjust my PC’s focus settings for maximum concentration.”
Which devices can use Copilot?
You can use Copilot across a range of devices and platforms and it comes built into a range of Windows PCs and laptops. You can also work with the LLM on Android and iOS mobile devices through the Copilot app as well as through Microsoft Edge browsers.
You’re also able to use Copilot on Macs with the dedicated app as well as within various social media and messaging apps like Telegram as its integrated straight in.
What’s next for Copilot?
With GPT-5 just being implemented into Copilot, it has recently become a whole lot more advanced when compared to previous editions of it. However, this doesn’t stop Microsoft from looking ahead as it continues to evolve to become more powerful and versatile. There are plans to include specialist AI agents like Researcher and Analyst which can further improve reasoning capabilities.
Microsoft is expanding Copilot to use more than just OpenAI’s models (including Anthropic’s Claude), allowing developers and enterprises to route tasks to the best, most cost-efficient AI for a specific job, leading to better results and greater flexibility.
If you have a Copilot PC, we’d recommend you trying it out for yourself, as there’s a wide range of features and tools. For example, we used Copilot to tidy up our inbox for a week, and allowed it to play a game for us.
