How is Copilot Pro different from Copilot? Should I upgrade?

And it's nice to know that's not going to change anytime soon - but Microsoft is rolling out Copilot Pro, a new subscription model for its free AI companion, with new features, custom GPT support, and more. Customize and integrate deeper into Microsoft 365.

What is Copilot Pro?

Copilot Pro is a new subscription-based update to Microsoft Copilot, the AI ​​engine that lets you use OpenAI's premium GPT-4 model (and now GPT-4 Turbo, the newest model) for free.

Microsoft Copilot Pro doesn't focus so much on enhancing the performance of the tool, but offers much deeper integration with a wide range of Microsoft products, including:

1. Copilot Pro brings Copliot to Microsoft 365 with integrations in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on PC, Mac, and iPad.
2. Upgrading to Pro will give priority to users with the latest GPT models. For example, Copilot Pro subscribers can now use GPT-4 Turbo, the latest upgrade to OpenAI's AI model.
3. Copilot Pro users will have access to more image generators from Designer boost credits, increasing to 100 credits per day.
4. The Copilot Pro upgrade also allows users to create custom Copilot GPTs, which are custom Copilot models designed for specific uses (which are OpenAI custom GPTs but are available in Copilot).

Overall, Microsoft wants Copilot Pro to be "the only AI experience that runs across your devices," providing a unified AI engine that's familiar across every software you use.

How much does Copilot Pro cost?

Microsoft Copilot Pro will cost $20 per month per user and officially launch on January 14, 2024.

$20 per month seems to have become the go-to pricing structure for all AI models; ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro also cost $20 per month.

With Copilot Pro's deeper integration into Microsoft's ecosystem, the $20 subscription could make Pro a more valuable tool compared to other tools that are useful on the AI ​​side but lack integration capabilities. specifically suited to frequently used software, especially in business and productivity.

Should I upgrade to Copilot Pro?

Users should note that Copilot Pro now includes many features previously exclusive to ChatGPT Plus - and still costs money. Since developing artificial intelligence costs money and energy, there will always be a time when the free version of Copilot starts missing out on features.

However, with the large number of free features that Copilot has, hopefully not many users will be disappointed. Deeper integration with Microsoft 365 is great if you use those tools, but if you're using Copilot as an advanced Internet search tool, these updates won't mean much to you .

Furthermore, given the mixed results of custom GPT from OpenAI, custom Copilot models may not be a feature that attracts much attention - at least not initially. When Custom GPT first launched, there was a wave of excitement but it took a while to find Custom GPT worth using.

Not to mention Copilot will still receive feature updates. The Microsoft blog revealing Copilot Pro also confirmed new Copilot features, including Copilot GPT. Microsoft will add select custom GPT Copilots to the free model, including topics like fitness, cooking, etc., bringing customization tools to the free version. There won't be much customization but the dedicated GPT will be useful for many themes.

So while Copilot Pro certainly has more features and will receive updates faster than the free version, Copilot is still an extremely useful tool for those who want to access GPT-4 without having to pay money.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 17 January 2024