Microsoft launches pay-as-you-go Copilot Cowork in 20-year pricing shake-up
Microsoft just rolled out a pay-as-you-go plan for Copilot Cowork, its AI assistant inside Microsoft 365.
You'll still need a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, and each task is billed separately based on computing power, so if you're only drafting the occasional doc or organizing meetings here and there, you might save some cash.
This is Microsoft's biggest pricing shake-up in 20 years.
Per-task billing tied to computing power
You get billed per task depending on the computing power used, which helps Microsoft manage the high costs of running advanced AI.
The service is disabled by default, and companies can cap spending per employee, per team or per department.
For those who want more options, there'll be a budget-friendly "Cowork 1" for basic needs and access to top-tier AI like GPT 5.5 for power users.
This move follows other tech giants shifting to usage-based pricing as AI gets pricier to run.