Microsoft Copilot Chat – FAQ for M365 G5 Users

1. What is Microsoft Copilot Chat and how do I use it?

Copilot Chat is a smart assistant built into Microsoft apps. You can ask it questions or give it tasks using text only. It responds using data from its own knowledge base or your uploaded content.

  • By default, it uses the internet data used to train its AI models (as of October 2023) and the content you provide.
  • Copilot Chat is different from the full M365 Copilot—it does not access your emails, calendar, or internal files, and only uses what you directly enter.
  • Agencies should evaluate if Copilot Chat fits their needs. Microsoft’s Government Scenarios Kit contains many relevant use cases to help spark ideas.
co-pilot

Please note this icon will also be visible in Teams and Outlook applications.This is a screenshot of the landing page for Copilot Chat and the icon placement in Outlook.

2. What’s the difference between Copilot Chat and the paid M365 Copilot?

The Copilot Chat feature, included at no additional cost in the M365 G5 license, differs from the full, paid version of M365 Copilot. Watch this video about Microsoft 365 vs Microsoft 365 Copilot chat in 60 seconds.(Note: this video demonstrates AI Agents, but they are not yet available in our GCC version)

Copilot Comparison Chart

 

 

 

 

3. Who gets access and when?

  • This is currently in our Shared Enterprise Tenant but is turned off by default. We have hidden the icons for co-pilot to limit confusion for end users.
  • Copilot Chat is available at no additional charge for users with an M365 G5 license and will be available in the M365 Enterprise Shared Tenant managed by WaTech.
  • It uses single sign-on (SSO) with your work email and includes enterprise-level security protections.

 

4. Can agencies customize how Copilot Chat is configured?

Yes. There are configuration options available for agencies:

  • Agencies can submit a request to unpin or remove the Copilot Chat icon from Teams and Outlook through our Customer Portal using the General Inquiry template.
  • Web search is turned off by default. Microsoft delivers this feature to tenants with the internet connection defaulted to off. Fed Ramp Compliance was not met by Microsoft. If it is voted to allow into the shared tenant, agencies may request to have the internet connected.

 

5. What should I know about data use, privacy, and retention in Copilot Chat?

Data Usage:

  • Copilot Chat processes what you type (your prompts) and may use its built-in knowledge base to respond.
  • Agencies should stick to low-risk use cases. Microsoft has provided some helpful use case guidance.
  • Unlike the full M365 Copilot, which can access your internal content like emails, files, and calendar data, Copilot Chat does not have access to that information by default.

Privacy & Protection:

Enterprise Data Protection (EDP) is Microsoft’s built-in security framework that protects your data when using tools like Copilot Chat. It provides the same level of protection you rely on for emails in Exchange and files in SharePoint.

With EDP:

  • Your prompts and Copilot responses are encrypted and secure.
  • Currently, data stays within your organization and is not used to train AI models.
  • EDP meets key compliance standards like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and International Organization for Standardization protection of PII (ISO/IEC 27018).

Your agency’s settings and controls apply:

  • Copilot follows your access controls, sensitivity labels, retention policies, and audit settings.

Data Retention

  • All Copilot Chat interactions are saved by default.
  • These are subject to the state's current retention policy.
  • If approved and your agency decides to enable Copilot chat and internet connectivity, please work with your records team and check with WaTech to ensure the correct configurations are in place.
  • WaTech shares updates with the monthly M365 User Group and Cloud Enablement Advisory Committee (CEAC) meetings and the bi-weekly e-Discovery and Records User Group.
  • Microsoft is also developing an Admin Center for enhanced oversight and analytics.

 

6. Do I need a Security Design Request (SDR) for Copilot?

No. Agencies aren’t required to submit an SDR. WaTech will conduct a security design review addendum on behalf of the state.

 

7. What training and education are available?

We have posted some resources and training to help you get started with Copilot Chat on the Customer Portal Training Resources webpage:

 

More resources

 

Need help or have questions?

Dependent on the outcome of our governance journey, the Cloud Enablement team can support your agency’s Copilot Chat set-up and requests. To ensure proper tracking and response please submit a request for service through our Customer Portal using the General Inquiry template.

Next steps:

  • Additional sessions are being held with agency technical leads and system administrators to review expectations and timelines.

After the decision:

  • WaTech will publish a final status update and guidance outlining the enablement approach, agency-level impacts, and any required coordination for feature rollouts.
  • WaTech’s Cloud Enablement team will help agencies with configuration support after a final decision is made.