Microsoft 365 Copilot upgraded with GPT-5.6
Microsoft has announced an update for 365 Copilot, with the platform now powered by OpenAI's GPT-5.6. The upgrade is set to enhance AI capabilities in applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
What happened?
On 9 July 2026, Microsoft announced that its 365 Copilot platform has been upgraded to utilise OpenAI's GPT-5.6. This transition means that Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the collaboration tool Cowork will receive enhanced AI functionalities. GPT-5.6 replaces the previous GPT-4 model and aims to offer superior reasoning capabilities, higher performance, and improved safety systems, according to OpenAI.
Key facts
| Uppgraderingsdatum (enligt källa) | 9 juli 2026 |
|---|---|
| Ersätter | GPT-4 |
| Påverkade Microsoft 365-produkter | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Cowork |
”With GPT-5.6 powering Copilot, customers can create polish”
Why it matters
The upgrade aims to increase productivity for 365 users through more intelligent AI assistance. In practice, this entails faster drafting and editing in Word, more efficient data analysis in Excel, automated presentation creation in PowerPoint, and more effective collaboration in Cowork. The new model also promises higher quality per token at a lower cost.
Who is affected?
Users of Microsoft 365 Copilot, including businesses and individuals who rely on Microsoft's productivity suite, are directly affected. Those working with text processing, data analysis, and presentations will particularly notice improvements in workflow. Developers and administrators managing 365 environments may need to prepare for these new capabilities.
Impact on the EU
Copilot is available to EU users, and the upgrade to GPT-5.6 affects them in the same way as users in other regions. The safety systems in GPT-5.6 may help in meeting European requirements for AI safety and data protection.
What else you should know
The published date for this news, 9 July 2026, is in the future. This indicates that the news may be speculative, a pre-announcement, or the result of an incorrect date in the source material. Furthermore, the name "GPT-5.6" has not been officially confirmed by OpenAI as a launched model as of today's date.
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