1 GPT-5.6 Is Now in Microsoft 365 Copilot

@parm.ai

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Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot is your companion to inform, entertain and inspire. Get advice, feedback and straightforward answers. Try Copilot now.

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The content provides a detailed, practical breakdown of a significant AI update within a widely used productivity suite, offering clear examples and actionable insights for professionals.

Summary

This series of slides announces the integration of GPT-5.6 into Microsoft 365 Copilot, detailing its enhanced capabilities across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Copilot Chat, and Cowork. It explains the practical improvements users can expect, such as fewer refinement rounds and stronger reasoning, and provides examples of how Copilot functions within each application.

Structure

1Introduction of GPT-5.6 in Microsoft 365 Copilot
2Explanation of the 'preferred model' announcement
3Details on practical improvements and core functionalities

Original caption

GPT-5.6 Has Arrived in Microsoft 365 Copilot — But the Real Story Is Bigger Than “A Smarter Model” 🚀 OpenAI and Microsoft have confirmed that GPT-5.6 is now the preferred model across key Microsoft 365 Copilot experiences, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Copilot Chat and Cowork. That sounds like a straightforward model upgrade. It is not. The more important shift is what this could mean for the quality of work Copilot can help produce: stronger reasoning, fewer refinement rounds, better handling of complex instructions and more polished outputs across everyday Microsoft 365 workflows. But there is an important nuance. “Preferred model” does not necessarily mean every request is visibly or exclusively processed by GPT-5.6. Microsoft 365 Copilot uses model orchestration, application context, organisational controls and licensing rules to determine how work is handled. In some experiences, users may see model choices. In others, Copilot may automatically route the task to an appropriate model. That means two people using Copilot may not always see the same options, even when working inside the same Microsoft application. So where should professionals expect the biggest practical difference? In Microsoft Word The opportunity is not simply generating more text. It is turning fragmented project material, meeting notes and reports into a more coherent executive update with clearer decisions, risks, dependencies and actions. The real test is whether Copilot can produce a stronger first draft with fewer rounds of correction. In Microsoft Excel The value should move beyond building basic charts. A stronger reasoning model should be more useful when analysing forecast variance, identifying unusual patterns, comparing business scenarios and explaining the evidence behind a conclusion. The output still needs to be reviewed. Generated formulas, summaries and insights should never be accepted without verification. In Microsoft PowerPoint The improvement should be measured through narrative quality. Can Copilot turn rough source material into a presentation with a clear argument, useful hierarchy and better alignment to the intended audience? A polished deck is not just a collection of attractive slides. It needs to guide the reader from context to evidence, recommendation and action. In Copilot Chat This is where more complex reasoning becomes especially valuable. Instead of asking Copilot to summarise one document, ask it to compare several sources, identify contradictions, surface unanswered questions and recommend the next decision. That is a much harder—and much more useful—test. In Cowork The potential shift is from isolated assistance to coordinated execution. A Cowork task might involve reviewing organisational information, creating documents, preparing a presentation, drafting communications and requesting approval before sensitive actions. That is not just content generation. It is a multi-step workflow. There is also a governance angle that deserves attention. OpenAI now operates as a Microsoft subprocessor for certain models, while administrators retain controls over whether OpenAI-operated models are available across their organisation. Availability can still depend on: - Your Microsoft 365 plan - Your Copilot licence - Your organisation’s admin settings - The application and platform being used - Regional and cloud restrictions - The current rollout stage So the right question is not: «“Is GPT-5.6 better?”» The better question is: «“Can GPT-5.6 help me complete a real piece of work with less rework, stronger reasoning and a better final outcome?”» Do not test it with a generic one-line prompt. Give Copilot real source material, a clear objective, specific constraints and a review standard. A better model deserves a harder test. 🧠 #MicrosoftCopilot #GPT56 #Microsoft365 #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork

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1 GPT-5.6 Is Now in Microsoft 365 Copilot What changed, what didn't—and how to test it properly. parm.ai Swipe → 1 2 The Verified Announcement On 9 July 2026, OpenAI and Microsoft confirmed that GPT-5.6 became the preferred model across Microsoft 365 Copilot experiences. Word - stronger drafting and refinement with fewer prompting rounds Excel - deeper analysis with more efficient token use PowerPoint - more polished presentations with less manual direction Copilot Chat - stronger reasoning for complex requests Cowork - better execution of complex, cross-functional work parm.ai Save for later 3 What "Preferred Model" Actually Means Copilot uses a combination of models and smart routing to match the right capability to the task. Before More manual prompting More back-and-forth to get the structure, depth and tone right. Now Stronger first response Smarter reasoning, cleaner structure and more useful output from fewer interactions. i Copilot may still route work based on the application, task complexity, organisational settings and licensing. parm.ai Save for later 4 The Practical Improvement You Should Notice GPT-5.6 raises the quality ceiling across Microsoft 365 Copilot, helping you move from idea to outcome faster. Fewer Refinement Rounds Better instruction following means less time re-asking, rephrasing and rebuilding. Stronger Multi-Step Reasoning Handles more complex requests, comparisons and synthesis with greater accuracy. More Polished Work Products Clearer structure, stronger analysis and outputs that need less manual fixing. parm.ai Save for later 5 Word: From Scattered Material to a Decision-Ready Document GPT-5.6 helps turn multiple sources into clearer, structured documents faster. Use your Microsoft 365 content Project Brief.docx Steering Meeting Notes.docx Status Report - July.xlsx Risk Register.xlsx Generating document... Outcome: A clear update with contradictions flagged-ready for review and approval. parm.ai Save for later 6 Excel: From Numbers to an Audible Conclusion Go beyond charts. Ask Copilot to explain the evidence behind the conclusion. Variance analysis Workstream Technology People Vendors Forecast £1.25m £950k £700k Actual £1.53m £1.10m £640k Variance (£280k) (£150k) £60k Analysing workbook... Expected output Editable table + variance drivers + recurring/ exceptional classification + evidence notes Outcome: Evidence-backed insight with an editable table you can trust-and verify. parm.ai Save for later 7 PowerPoint: From Source Material to a Coherent Argument Turn rough inputs into a presentation that tells a clear story-faster. Home Insert Design Review investment Committee Update A clearer case for the recommended option. Generating deck... What to judge Argument quality + source fidelity + template adherence + editability Outcome: A polished, on-brand deck with a stronger narrative and less manual slide building. parm.ai Save for later 8 Copilot Chat: Compare, Reconcile and Recommend Use stronger reasoning for complex requests that span multiple sources. Your sources Market Analysis.docx Competitor Review.pptx Customer Feedback.xlsx Q2 Sales Update.pdf Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Compare the two market analyses and our latest sales data. Summarise the key similarities, differences and risks. What unresolved questions must we answer before deciding? Response structure 1. Areas of agreement 2. Conflicting evidence 3. Material risks 4. Unresolved questions 5. Recommendation Thinking... Outcome: A clear comparison with risks, gaps and the next best actions identified. parm.ai Save for later 9 Cowork: One Objective, Multiple Actions GPT-5.6 in Cowork is designed for complex, cross-functional work from start to finish. Research Find and review relevant information Analyse Synthesize and identify insights Create Generate documents, sheets and decks Draft Prepare communications and updates Review Request approval before sensitive actions CONCEPTUAL COWORK TASK Review the project plan, risk register, steering minutes and stakeholder correspondence. Create a recovery plan, draft the sponsor briefing and prepare-but do not send-the team update. Approval gate ✓ Files prepared ✓ Email drafted ✓ Meeting proposed ▲ Awaiting user approval Outcome: Work completed across tools-so you move from objective to deliverable with less manual coordination. parm.ai Save for later 10 Access May Differ What you see depends on several factors. Microsoft 365 Plan Business Standard, E3, E5 and Copilot add-on Copilot Licence Licensed users receive priority model access and broader capabilities Application & Platform Web, desktop and mobile experiences can vary Administrator Settings Your organisation controls model availability Rollout Status Features and model routing can roll out gradually With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence Priority model access Full Work IQ grounding across meetings, email, chats and files Expanded agents and in-app functionality Without the Copilot add-on Standard model access Limited work-data reasoning Limited agent access parm.ai Save for later 11 The Governance Change Behind the Announcement OpenAI now operates as a Microsoft subprocessor for certain models. Available since 9 July 2026 for eligible commercial customers, unless disabled by an administrator. Administrators can allow, limit or disable access for users and groups. Not available in government or sovereign clouds and excluded from applicable in-country processing commitments. Included in the EU Data Boundary, subject to Microsoft's documented exceptions. Microsoft 365 data, permissions, compliance and post-processing controls still apply. Copilot control settings OpenAI-operated models Choose how users in your organisation can access OpenAI-operated models. Allow for everyone O Allow for selected users / groups Disable for everyone parm.ai Save for later A Better Model Deserves a Harder Test. Give Copilot real sources, a clear outcome and a review standard-not a generic one-line prompt. Follow parm.ai for practical Microsoft Copilot workflows. Real prompts. Real outcomes. Better work. PARM.AI Microsoft Copilot Prompt Playbook for Professionals Real pro Real o Better parm.ai parm.ai Practical Copilot. Real Work. Better Outcomes.