Microsoft 365 Family subscribers will finally be able to share AI features
Microsoft will let Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers share Copilot and other AI features with up to five other people on a plan. Storage will also change from 1 TB per person to 2 TB shared across the whole plan.
Microsoft, the software company behind the Office suite, is changing the terms of its Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscriptions over the coming months. The update will let subscribers share artificial intelligence (AI) features, including the Copilot assistant, with up to five other people on their plan. At the same time, the cloud storage included in the plan will shrink in per-person terms, according to tech outlet The Verge.
Last year Microsoft bundled AI-powered Office features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, but only the primary account holder could use them. The company has now told subscribers about the new terms in an email seen by The Verge.
What is changing
First, Copilot benefits and AI usage can be shared with other members of the plan, and account holders can manage AI access for younger family members. Second, the separate limits on individual AI features will be replaced by a single AI usage allowance that can be applied to the advanced features a person uses most. More AI usage can be purchased when needed.
Third, cloud storage will change from 1 TB per person to 2 TB of shared storage for the entire plan. Each member keeps their own account, and files stay private. The change applies after a subscriber's first renewal after 2 May 2027.
Drawbacks and caveats
The Verge sees the storage change as the main downside: instead of 1 TB of OneDrive storage per account, the whole plan now gets 2 TB. Microsoft argues this is more flexible if one member goes over 1 TB, but the outlet suggests it may be a way to upsell extra OneDrive storage.
According to a Microsoft support note, existing subscribers in eligible markets may qualify for transitional bonus storage. The company also plans to support families that use a lot of storage.
The changes arrive a year after the launch of Microsoft 365 Premium, which combines the benefits of Copilot Pro and Microsoft 365 Family for $19.99 a month. The more flexible AI usage model could mean some subscribers end up paying more for AI, depending on how they use Copilot.