Microsoft Boosts Productivity With 365 Copilot Chat Pay-As-You-Go Agents

Microsoft has announced its 365 Copilot Chat solution, which adds pay-as-you-go AI agents to the existing chat experience for Microsoft 365 customers.

Microsoft pitches Copilot Chat as enabling an organisation’s “entire workforce—from customer service representatives to marketing leads to frontline technicians—to start using Copilot and agents today”, according to Jared Spataro, Chief Marketing Officer, AI at Work at Microsoft, in a blog announcing the news.

Spataro says the offering features secure, free AI chat powered by GPT-4, integrating agents within the chat experience. Spataro adds that it includes robust IT controls to ensure enterprise-level data protection and efficient agent management.

Spataro wrote:

Copilot is the UI for AI, and it all starts with Copilot Chat. It’s the chat experience you’ll use every day—powered by broad knowledge from the web, built on GPT-4o, and designed to be safe and secure for business use. It represents a foundational shift in how we work, enabling everyone to work smarter, faster, and more collaboratively.”

Spataro suggests that moving forward, organisations can embrace a blend of Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot—Microsoft’s premier solution—to enable AI-driven transformation on a larger scale.

Google Makes AI Free For All Workspace Subscribers As AI Race Heats Up

Microsoft isn’t the only tech giant adding AI capabilities to its flagship UC and collaboration platform.

Google is making AI free for all Workspace subscribers while hiking the solution’s subscription price from $12 to $14 per user per month.

Previously, Workspace users had to pay an extra $20 per user per month to access Google’s Gemini Business plan on top of the standard Workspace sub. Now, Workspace users can leverage Google’s AI across its raft of communications and collaboration offerings, including Meet, Docs, Gmail and Sheets.

Workspace AI delivers a suite of advanced tools intended to streamline work and boost productivity. Features include email summaries in Gmail, auto-generated designs for spreadsheets and videos, an AI-powered note-taker for meetings, and the versatile NotebookLM research assistant. Google stresses that the writing tools are seamlessly integrated across apps, ensuring consistent support throughout users’ workflows.

At the core of Workspace AI is the Gemini bot, which Google suggests is its most sophisticated AI yet. While it handles typical chatbot tasks, Gemini goes further by helping users locate information, search through personal files, and easily manage complex tasks.

Gamma’s STARFACE Acquisition to Secure it Huge Share in German Market

UK-based telecom provider Gamma has announced plans to acquire STARFACE, a German IP telephony and cloud PBX solutions company, in a strategic move to strengthen its position in the German cloud communications market.

The acquisition, which is pending regulatory approval, would enable Gamma to compete more effectively with incumbent providers and significantly expand its presence in the region.

Gamma CEO Andrew Belshaw said in the announcement:

This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Gamma as we further strengthen our position in Europe’s cloud communications market.”

Founded in 2005, STARFACE is part of a group of telecommunications companies, including estos and vio:networks, that specialise in business communications. Together, the group delivers seamless UC solutions across major devices and operating systems, emphasising innovation and interoperability.

This acquisition aligns with Gamma’s broader strategy of accelerating cloud adoption and solidifying its position as a leading provider of cloud communication services in Germany. Combined with its recent acquisition of German telco Placetel at the end of 2024, Gamma now boasts a user base exceeding 500,000 in the German market. These moves position Gamma as a major player in Europe’s growing cloud communications sector.



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