Microsoft recently launched Copilot Pro, a premium subscription service designed to extend and enhance the capabilities of Microsoft's offerings within its productivity suite. This new service is aimed at individual users who require advanced AI functionalities for their work across various Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. There's more to it as well, including priority access to GPT-4 Turbo and higher limits on AI image generation. Copilot Pro is a great purchase for the right person when it comes to Microsoft Copilot.

What does Copilot Pro come with?

More AI capabilities, AI image generation, and Microsoft 365 integration

For people who are subscribers to Copilot Pro, they'll get priority access to the latest AI models, including GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, provided by OpenAI. This ensures faster response times and improved performance, especially during peak usage periods. You'll also have the ability to create personalized AI models (Copilot GPTs) for specific topics using a simple set of prompts, just like you can do with ChatGPT Plus. This customization aims to tailor the AI experience to individual user needs and interests​, or to build it around a specific use case.

Copilot Pro users will have access to advanced AI image creation tools, with up to 100 daily creations that are done faster using the DALL-E 3 image generation model. This feature supports more creative flexibility, particularly in generating images in landscape format. Currently, images can only be generated in 1:1 aspect ratios for non-Copilot Pro users.

Copilot Pro can integrate into Microsoft 365 apps. For Word, it aids in drafting, summarizing, and rewriting content. In PowerPoint, it assists in generating outlines and designing slides. For Outlook, it offers capabilities such as summarizing long email threads and drafting responses. Excel and OneNote users benefit from features that support data analysis, visualization, note-taking, and organization. It offers a lot in terms of productivity, and is one of the biggest reasons to get Copilot Pro.

Note that unless you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you won't be able to use these features. That's a separate subscription and is not included.

How to sign up to Copilot Pro

Step 1: Try out Copilot first

Microsoft Copilot is free, first and foremost, so give it a try in its current state and see if you enjoy it. It's powered by GPT-4 and can generate images for free at the moment, so you can get a good sense of what it's capable of without taking the plunge. You can use it on your phone, test out plugins, and use premade Copilot GPTs. It's a fleshed-out product even at this free tier.

Step 2: If you like it, buy it

Assuming you enjoy what you get out of Copilot and want to try the next tier, Copilot Pro is pretty easy to buy. It costs $20 a month, and you'll need to go to the Microsoft Store to purchase it. It's attached to your Microsoft account.

Once you've done that, that's it! It'll now be enabled in your Copilot chats.

Should I buy Copilot Pro?

Copilot Pro isn't for everyone

You may not want to purchase Copilot Pro if:

• You don't care about GPT-4 support
• You use ChatGPT Plus already and are happy with it
• You don't need image generation
• You don't use Microsoft 365
• You don't mind spending $20 a month

Otherwise, it's a hard purchase to justify. Unless you'll get use out of it, you won't really know until you try it if you should buy it or not. If you're on the fence, it might be worth trying it for a month to see how you get on with it, and if it works, then you can continue the subscription. Otherwise, try figure out what your needs are through the free version of Copilot.

Who should consider Copilot Pro?

Copilot Pro is most ideal for:

• Professionals and creators who require advanced AI functionalities for their work, including faster and more sophisticated content creation, data analysis, and productivity enhancements across Microsoft 365 apps.
• Users seeking advanced AI image creation capabilities with 100 daily uses for rapid and detailed image generation, making use of DALL-E 3.
• Those already using ChatGPT Plus and looking for an integrated solution within Microsoft's ecosystem, offering a seamless AI experience across multiple applications. This is especially true if you are unhappy with ChatGPT Plus or wish that it could do more.

Copilot Pro is less suitable for:

• Individuals not requiring GPT-4 support or the advanced AI features Copilot Pro offers, as the basic functionalities of Microsoft 365, the free version of Copilot, or ChatGPT might be sufficient for their needs.
• Users who do not rely on Microsoft 365 for their daily tasks, as Copilot Pro's benefits are most pronounced within this suite of programs.
• Those with no need for AI-generated images, as one of Copilot Pro's key selling points is its enhanced image creation capabilities.

Copilot Pro presents a compelling option for users embedded in Microsoft's ecosystem and who can leverage AI to enhance their productivity and creative output. However, it's important to assess your specific needs and what your potential usage may be to determine if the subscription justifies the cost. For those on the fence, exploring the free version of Copilot first could provide valuable insights into whether it's a fit for what you need.