Microsoft Copilot is embedded across Microsoft 365 apps — but the feature levels differ by licence. Here's exactly what AI capability comes with Business Premium, and what requires the Copilot for Microsoft 365 add-on.
Key takeaways
- 1Microsoft Copilot (web) — the consumer Copilot experience at copilot.microsoft.com, with commercial data protection (company data doesn't train Microsoft's AI models)
- 2Copilot in Edge — AI assistance in the Microsoft Edge browser
- 3Copilot in Windows — the Windows 11 Copilot sidebar
- 4AI features in Office apps — limited AI writing assistance in Word, basic AI-generated slide suggestions in PowerPoint (not the full Copilot experience)
The term "Copilot" in Microsoft's product line refers to several different things at different price points. Business Premium clients in 2025 have access to some Copilot features natively, while others require the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on licence. Here's the clear breakdown.
What's included in Business Premium (no extra cost)
- Microsoft Copilot (web) — the consumer Copilot experience at copilot.microsoft.com, with commercial data protection (company data doesn't train Microsoft's AI models)
- Copilot in Edge — AI assistance in the Microsoft Edge browser
- Copilot in Windows — the Windows 11 Copilot sidebar
- AI features in Office apps — limited AI writing assistance in Word, basic AI-generated slide suggestions in PowerPoint (not the full Copilot experience)
What requires the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on (~$38 USD/user/month)
- Copilot in Teams — meeting summaries, action items, catch-me-up in chats
- Copilot in Outlook — email drafting, thread summarisation, suggested replies
- Copilot in Word — document drafting and summarisation grounded in your organisation's data
- Copilot in Excel — data analysis, formula suggestion, insight generation
- Copilot in PowerPoint — slide generation from documents
- Copilot in SharePoint — site creation and content summarisation
- Microsoft 365 Chat — natural language query across all your M365 data
The security prerequisite for Copilot add-on
Microsoft recommends that organisations deploying the Copilot for Microsoft 365 add-on first implement sensitivity labels and SharePoint permission hygiene — because Copilot respects existing permissions and will surface data that users already have access to. If permissions are poorly configured (oversharing), Copilot can surface sensitive data to users who shouldn't have access. Optimyze includes a permissions and sensitivity label review as part of Copilot readiness assessment.
