Microsoft Excel gets an AI upgrade

August 27, 2025

Microsoft is testing a new feature called COPILOT, which brings broader AI support directly into Excel cells. Users can now create summaries, classify data, and generate tables using natural language, without needing complex formulas.

The new function integrates with existing formulas, and results update automatically as data changes. COPILOT is powered by OpenAI’s gpt-4.1-mini model, but it does not access external web data or company documents, ensuring that all inputs remain confidential.

Microsoft warns, however, that the feature is not intended for high-risk scenarios, since results may occasionally be inaccurate. It also currently has limited call capacity, meaning its reach is still in the testing phase.

The function is available now to Microsoft 365 Beta channel users, with broader rollout planned soon via the Frontier program for web users.

Given that millions of people work in Excel daily—and that the program has yet to undergo a major AI transformation—this upgrade could mark the start of a new era in spreadsheets, where AI assistants become standard in both Excel and Google Sheets.

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