Copilot Studio Per-Message Billing - How to Setup?

Key insights

• Copilot Studio Per-Message Billing: Microsoft introduces a "Pay-As-You-Go" (PAYGO) model for Copilot Studio, allowing organizations to pay only for the messages used by their AI agents, enhancing flexibility and cost-effectiveness.


• Technology Overview: Copilot Studio is a SaaS platform that facilitates the creation and deployment of custom AI agents within organizations. It integrates with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, making these agents accessible to all employees.


• Advantages: The PAYGO model offers Flexibility and Scalability, Cost-Effectiveness, Accessibility, and Enterprise-Grade Security, benefiting businesses by aligning costs with actual usage.


• Message Types and Costs: Billing is based on message types:
  • Classic Answers: Static responses costing 1 message.
  
  
  • Generative Answers: AI-generated responses costing 2 messages.
  • Autonomous Actions: Automated tasks costing 25 messages.
  • Tenant Microsoft Graph Grounding: Accessing internal data costs 30 messages.


• Pricing Model Update: Introduced in December 2024, the consumption-based pricing allows customers to pay $0.01 per message consumed, providing a cost-effective alternative to prepaid packs.


• Enhanced Accessibility and Integration: From February 2025, autonomous actions are billed at 25 messages per action. Integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat ensures that all employees can use AI-driven

  Introduction to Copilot Studio Per-Message Billing

  Microsoft Copilot Studio is a powerful tool designed to empower organizations by creating custom agents that can interact with users, providing both static and dynamic responses. The recent introduction of a per-message billing model, often referred to as "Pay-As-You-Go" (PAYGO), marks a significant shift in how organizations can access and utilize these AI-driven agents. This approach allows businesses to pay only for the messages consumed by their agents, offering greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

  What is This Technology About?

  Copilot Studio is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that enables users to build, manage, and deploy custom AI agents across their organization. These agents can perform a variety of tasks, from providing customer support to automating business processes. The platform integrates with Microsoft's ecosystem, including Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, allowing agents to be easily accessible to all employees, regardless of their licensing status.

  Advantages of Using This Technology

  • Flexibility and Scalability: The PAYGO model allows businesses to scale their usage based on actual demand, avoiding upfront costs and ensuring they only pay for what they use.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: By paying per message, organizations can better manage their budgets and avoid overpaying for unused capacity.
  • Accessibility: The technology makes AI-driven agents more accessible to all employees within an organization, even those without a full Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
  • Enterprise-Grade Security: Copilot Studio and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat offer robust security, privacy, and compliance features, making them suitable for enterprise environments.

  Basics of the Technology

  • Message Types: The billing is based on different types of messages:
    • Classic Answers: These are static responses that cost 1 message.
    • Generative Answers: Dynamically generated answers using AI, costing 2 messages.
    • Autonomous Actions: These involve automated tasks and cost 25 messages.
    • Tenant Microsoft Graph Grounding: This feature allows agents to access internal data, costing 30 messages.
  • Pricing: Each message costs $0.01 under the PAYGO model.

  What is New About This Approach?

  The introduction of the PAYGO model is a significant update, offering organizations a more flexible and scalable way to use AI agents. This approach is particularly beneficial for businesses with fluctuating demands or those looking to test the waters without committing to large upfront costs. Additionally, the integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat allows for a seamless experience across the organization, making AI-driven agents more accessible than ever.

  Key Updates

  • Consumption-Based Pricing: Introduced in December 2024, this model allows customers to pay only for the messages they consume, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional prepaid message packs.
  • Autonomous Actions Billing: As of February 1, 2025, autonomous actions are billed at 25 messages per action, reflecting the complexity and automation involved.
  • Enhanced Accessibility: With Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, agents can be used by all employees, regardless of their licensing status, making AI more accessible across the organization.
  Overall, the per-message billing model for Copilot Studio represents a forward-thinking approach to AI adoption, offering flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness that can benefit a wide range of businesses.

   

  

  Keywords

  Copilot Studio billing access everyone per-message pricing AI tool Microsoft integration productivity