Microsoft has often been criticised for reserving its most impressive AI features for users who pay for Microsoft 365 Copilot, leaving everyone else without access unless they subscribe. This has been the trend for a while — but that may soon change.
According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft is preparing to roll out new AI features for Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint that, unlike previous updates, will be completely free of charge. Even more interesting: these features are scheduled to arrive in early 2026, meaning they won’t require a Copilot subscription.
New free AI features coming to Office in 2026
In September 2025, Microsoft introduced a free version of Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps. But that was only the beginning. The company has now confirmed that the Copilot experience will soon become even more capable thanks to several new features on the way.
One major upgrade is that Copilot Chat will soon be able to access the contents of your Outlook inbox, including emails, meetings, and calendar events. This will enable better organisation, smarter summaries, and improved planning — all without incurring the cost of the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, which typically costs nearly €30 per month.
Meanwhile, Agent Mode, previously exclusive to paid Microsoft 365 Copilot users, is now available to all Microsoft 365 subscribers in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word. With Agent Mode, users can generate full documents, spreadsheets, or slide decks using a simple prompt. In Excel, users will even be able to choose between OpenAI or Anthropic models for reasoning tasks.
Microsoft states that all these free AI features will be rolled out to Microsoft 365 users in March 2026.
This move follows similar decisions earlier in the year, when Microsoft integrated Copilot features directly into Office apps for standard Microsoft 365 subscriptions. It also aligns with the company’s ongoing strategy to diversify its AI offerings — from high-end tools for large enterprises to more affordable solutions, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot Business, launching in December for small and medium-sized companies.
