The relationship between what was formerly known as Bing Chat Enterprise and Microsoft 365 Copilot can be confusing, but they are not the same product. Bing Chat Enterprise has since been rebranded as Microsoft Copilot, and its core distinction from Microsoft 365 Copilot lies in its data access and integration.

Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Data Grounding and Capabilities
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise): This is an AI chat tool grounded in public web data from the Bing search index. It provides enterprise-level data protection, meaning your chat data is not saved, is not used to train the models, and Microsoft has no access to it. It can summarize web pages, create content, and generate images, but it has no access to your personal or organizational files and emails. It's essentially a secure, business-focused version of the public Copilot (formerly Bing Chat).



Microsoft 365 Copilot: This is a much more powerful AI assistant that is grounded in your private organizational data within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It combines the power of large language models with your data in Microsoft Graph, including your emails, calendars, chats, documents, and meetings. It can do things like summarize a meeting you missed, draft a document based on your recent emails, or create a PowerPoint presentation from a Word file. It integrates seamlessly into apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.




2. Pricing and Availability
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise): This is a free offering for customers with eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard, and Business Premium. It can also be purchased as a standalone offering for an additional cost.


Microsoft 365 Copilot: This is a premium, paid add-on. It is available to businesses for $30 per user, per month, and requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.


In summary, while the free version of Copilot provides a secure, web-grounded AI chat experience, Microsoft 365 Copilot is not free. It is a separate, premium product that leverages your private work data to provide a deeper level of integration and functionality across your Microsoft 365 applications, justifying its higher price point.