Microsoft announced today that it will incorporate its Office AI functions (which were launched for enterprise users in November last year) into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, but at the same time it also raised the subscription price of Microsoft 365 in the United States for the first time.
Microsoft is now adding these AI features to Microsoft 365 applications for an additional $3 per month. Of course, old users can choose not to upgrade, but they will have to wait until next year to have the option; new subscribers will get a new package with Office AI features by default.
Microsoft has been testing adding Office AI-based features to Microsoft 365 subscriptions in recent months, a feature that was previously only available in Australia, New Zealand, and some countries in Asia, but is now expanding to most markets around the world.
At the same time, the existing Copilot Pro subscription will not disappear, and Microsoft will not reduce its monthly price of $20 (Currently about 147 yuan). It will continue to be available to advanced users who want to prioritize the latest AI models and experience new AI features in advance.
If users don’t want to pay extra for these AI features, Microsoft will also offer existing subscribers plans that keep the original price without using Copilot: “We have created two new plans that will actually not be launched until next year, namely Personal Classic and Family Classic. If users choose to cancel their subscription, they will have the opportunity to choose one of these Personal Classic or Family Classic plans.”
According to reports, these two “classic” plans are only available to existing Microsoft 365 subscribers and will not receive any major feature updates. “They will continue to receive security updates and minor feature updates, but any other innovative features we provide in the future will not be included in these plans.”
