Microsoft recently unveiled Copilot Pro, a new AI chatbot subscription service priced at $20 per month. This offering grants individual users priority access to advanced AI models, notably OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo, and includes AI features in Microsoft’s productivity tools previously limited to business customers.
Copilot Pro’s pricing matches that of OpenAI’s existing ChatGPT Plus subscription, offering comparable features. This similarity may lead some users to weigh their options between the two, highlighting a potential competitive scenario between the partners in the future.
Despite this, both Microsoft and OpenAI currently seem content with their distinct market segments. Microsoft’s significant investment in OpenAI has been instrumental in enhancing its product range, including the recent addition of Copilot Pro.
Introduced on Monday, Copilot Pro seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. In Word, for instance, a Copilot icon next to the cursor activates a chatbot dialogue to assist in document creation, providing a unique user experience.
This introduction of Copilot Pro follows other third-party Microsoft 365 integrations, such as Ghostwriter by Patrick Husting, a developer based in the Seattle area.
Furthermore, Microsoft announced new Copilot mobile apps for Android and iOS on Monday and extended its Microsoft 365 Copilot service to small businesses. The company also plans to introduce Copilot GPTs, custom AI chatbots similar to OpenAI’s offerings, as part of the Copilot Pro subscription.
The potential market competition between Microsoft and OpenAI, particularly in serving enterprise customers with similar AI technologies, has been a topic of discussion. At OpenAI’s DevDay in San Francisco on November 6, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed this, stating that both companies are set to pursue success in this field. He emphasized the importance of aligned incentives for shared success, reflecting the strategic relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI.