In the fast-paced world of innovation, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has emerged as a beacon of productivity, creativity, and efficiency. However, ChatGPT was built for the consumer market and has a high bar for entry for corporate subscriptions. This is leading to many business users sending questions and sometimes corporate data into ChatGPT outside of any corporate compliance boundary. Even worse, if users are using the free version of ChatGPT, OpenAI can keep and potentially use the data for training of future models.
For Enterprises with existing Microsoft subscriptions there is another way to access to the power of GPT4 within the boundary of corporate data security and compliance. With its recent transition from preview to general availability, Microsoft Copilot is no longer just an experimental tool – it’s a fully integrated AI companion ready to transform the way organisations operate, allowing access to advanced AI models, without having to pay for expensive additional subscriptions.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is a revolutionary AI-powered web chat service, formerly known as Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise. Using advanced AI models such as GPT-4, Copilot looks to enhancing creativity and productivity through assisting users in their various tasks, including drafting emails, summarising PDFs and articles, generating images with DALL-E 3, learning new skills, and addressing complex questions.
What sets Copilot apart is its integration into Microsoft 365, making it seamlessly accessible for eligible users. It assures commercial data protection at no additional cost, ensuring that prompts and responses are not saved, and user data is not used to train the underlying language model. Copilot’s intuitive interface and broad array of capabilities make it a transformative tool for organisations seeking to harness the power of AI in their daily workflows.
Incorporating Copilot into Microsoft licensing packages
One of the most noteworthy changes is the integration of Copilot into Microsoft licensing packages. Eligible users with specific Microsoft 365 licences (including Microsoft 365 E3, E5, A3, A5, F3, Business Standard, and Business Premium) can seamlessly access Copilot with commercial data protection at no additional cost. This integration not only simplifies the procurement process but also ensures that your organisation can leverage the capabilities of Copilot within the framework of your existing Microsoft licensing agreements.
Moreover, Microsoft has announced plans to extend Copilot availability to all Entra ID users, excluding sovereign government cloud and student users, demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility across various organisational structures.
Ensuring trustworthy AI integration
With security and compliance being the primary concern for IT stakeholders when adopting new technologies, Microsoft has emphasised their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of data protection with Copilot. When its users sign in with an eligible work or school account (Microsoft Entra ID), they automatically receive commercial data protection at no extra cost.
This means that prompts and responses generated by Copilot are not saved, Microsoft has no access to the data, and user information is not used to train the underlying language model. This level of protection ensures that sensitive corporate information remains confidential and within your organisation’s control, aligning with Microsoft’s Universal Commercial License Terms for Online Services.
Incorporating Copilot into corporate security boundaries
For IT stakeholders tasked with upholding corporate security, Copilot is built on Microsoft’s trusted and comprehensive approach to enterprise-grade security, privacy, identity, compliance, and responsible AI. Copilot inherits the existing Microsoft 365 security, privacy, identity, and compliance policies, ensuring a seamless integration into established corporate security frameworks.
By ensuring that data is logically isolated and protected within the Microsoft 365 tenant provides you the peace of mind that your sensitive information is secure. At the tenant level, Copilot respects individual and group permission policies, maintaining a granular level of control over access and usage. This level of security is crucial for IT stakeholders navigating the complex landscape of data protection and regulatory compliance.
Next steps for adoption and integration
For those eager to harness the power of Copilot, the transition is smooth. Organisations with Copilot already enabled can continue using it as before, with no additional action required. To facilitate user adoption and transition from the old Bing Chat interface, IT admins can leverage the Copilot adoption kit. This kit provides training materials, resources, and ready-to-go email templates, streamlining the change management process.
Admins looking to extend Copilot availability to more users can assign a Copilot service plan, further expanding the reach and impact of this powerful AI companion within their organisation.
Empowering your organisation with Microsoft Copilot
In conclusion, Microsoft Copilot has evolved into a formidable tool that empowers your users to enhance productivity, streamline workflows whilst adhering to your complex landscape of corporate security and compliance. Its integration into Microsoft licensing packages, coupled with robust commercial data protection and adherence to security best practices, positions Copilot as a reliable and trustworthy AI companion.
With Copilot, you’re not just adopting a tool; you are embracing a transformative force that aligns seamlessly with your organisational goals and priorities. The era of AI-powered collaboration and productivity has arrived, and Microsoft Copilot is leading the way.
