January 2025 Updates in Copilot Studio
What’s New in Microsoft Copilot Studio
Welcome to the latest edition of "What’s New in Copilot Studio." This series is a comprehensive guide to the most recent updates and features from Microsoft Copilot Studio. As a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, Copilot Studio introduces new functionalities consistently, often on a monthly basis. This article will highlight some key advancements in this edition.
Copilot Studio in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Introduction to Copilot Chat
One of the significant updates is the launch of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, which offers a secure AI chat experience powered by GPT-4. This feature allows users from across your organization to access Copilot, creating agents with ease directly in the Copilot interface. Agents developed here can be utilized throughout the organization, making them accessible even to those who don’t have individual Copilot licenses.
Use Case Example
For instance, a team can design a Budget Agent that assists with expense reports, provides financial insights, and checks policy adherence. This agent can be used by every team member through Copilot Chat, fostering a collaborative work environment.
Shared Consumption Meter for Copilot Studio
Introduction to PAYGO Meter
In December 2024, we introduced a flexible PAYGO (Pay-As-You-Go) pricing model for agents built in Copilot Studio. This model enables organizations to pay only for the messages they consume, eliminating the need for large upfront payments.
Billing Structure
The billing structure is as follows:
- Classic answer: 1 message
- Generative answer: 2 messages
- Autonomous action: 25 messages
- Tenant Microsoft Graph grounding for messages: 30 messages
Organizations can optimize costs by choosing this model, which seamlessly integrates with existing Azure subscription billing.
Enhanced Search Capabilities
Improved SharePoint Responses
Copilot Studio now features enhanced search capabilities that employ a semantic index for Copilot, significantly improving the quality and relevance of search results from your SharePoint data. This feature is automatically enabled and can deliver more tailored answers to users, enhancing the overall productivity within teams.
Knowledge Tuning in Public Preview
Introduction to Knowledge Tuning
Organizations can now fine-tune agents by integrating enterprise-specific data, allowing them to generate responses based on reliable knowledge sources. The upgraded "Knowledge" page offers insights and recommendations regarding knowledge source usage, helping to refine the information agents use.
Understanding Knowledge Sources
Makers can designate authenticated sources to be prioritized in agent responses, ensuring that the information provided is both accurate and useful.
Image Analysis Capability
Analyzing Uploaded Images
A new feature allows users to upload images for agents to analyze. This enhancement broadens the functionality of agents, making them suitable for various real-world applications. With this capability, users can share images such as faulty parts or charts, and receive insightful feedback from agents.
Security Updates
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Adjustments
To bolster security, changes to the default settings for data loss prevention (DLP) have been implemented. Starting in January 2025, DLP policies will be set to "Soft-Enabled" by default, prohibiting updates to agents affected by DLP blocks.
Future Enhancements
In February 2025, the DLP mode will transition to "Enabled," meaning that all agents will undergo DLP checks consistently. This will ensure that all published agents adhere to security protocols defined by the organization.
Cultural and Language Accessibility
New Arabic Language Support
Copilot Studio now supports Arabic, joining the ranks of 27 available languages. This inclusion improves accessibility for Arabic-speaking users, allowing them to interact seamlessly with agents tailored to provide responses in Arabic.
Future Language Enhancements
While the UI for authoring agents in Arabic is not yet available, there is a commitment to enhancing language support going forward.
Staying Updated on Copilot Studio
Bookmark the dedicated page to receive timely updates about features and releases. Monthly episodes, such as "This Month in Copilot Studio," will delve into the latest news and feature highlights.
Getting Started with Copilot Studio
To discover how Microsoft Copilot Studio can transform your organization’s efficiency, visit the Copilot Studio website or sign up for a free trial today.
Documentation Updates
The Copilot Studio documentation has also been updated. For more detailed information, exploring the official Microsoft documentation can provide necessary insights and guidance.
By leveraging these new features and improvements, organizations can enhance productivity, security, and user engagement in meaningful ways.
