What is an AI copilot?
An AI copilot is an assistant built into software people already use, such as email, documents or a CRM, that drafts, summarizes and suggests next steps alongside the user, who reviews and decides what to keep.
Microsoft popularized the word with Microsoft 365 Copilot and GitHub Copilot, but it now describes a general pattern: AI that sits next to your work instead of acting on its own. You ask it to summarize a long email thread in Outlook, draft a reply, or pull action items from a Teams meeting, and you stay the person who hits send.
Copilots are often the lowest-friction way to start with AI, because there is little new to learn and the data stays inside a platform you already trust. The tradeoff is that results depend on how organized your files and permissions are. If everyone can open everything in SharePoint, a copilot can surface documents to people who should not see them.
Before rolling out licenses to everyone, run a small pilot with the roles that write and read the most. Tidy file permissions first. Track which tasks people actually use it for and how much time they report saving, then decide who needs a seat. A copilot license nobody uses is just another line on the software bill.
Example
For example, a mid-sized law firm piloting Microsoft 365 Copilot might give licenses to three paralegals and two associates for 60 days. They use it to summarize client email threads and draft internal memos, never final client advice. Before the pilot, the IT provider reviews SharePoint permissions so matter folders stay restricted to the right teams.