Microsoft: 365 Copilot free for government workers for up to 1 year

Microsoft: 365 Copilot free for government workers for up to 1 year

Microsoft has announced a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the productivity and efficiency of government agencies by offering its advanced AI tool, Microsoft 365 Copilot, free to federal workers for up to one year. This move is part of a broader agreement between Microsoft and the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide a suite of productivity, cloud, and AI services to federal agencies.

Under the new agreement, Microsoft will offer its subscription service, Microsoft 365, Azure Cloud Services, and Dynamics 365, along with other cybersecurity and monitoring tools, at a discounted price for up to 36 months. Notably, Microsoft 365 Copilot will be available at no cost to millions of existing Microsoft G5 users for the next 12 months [1].

The initiative is part of the GSA's OneGov strategy, which aims to leverage steep discounts on cloud products to expand adoption within the federal government. The GSA estimates that this offer could save up to $3.1 billion in the first year alone [1].

Microsoft's commitment extends beyond technology and cost savings. The company has also pledged to invest $20 million in additional support services, including workshops to help agencies implement these offerings and maximize their value. These investments reflect Microsoft's belief in the transformative power of technology to empower people [1].

The agreement aligns with the White House's AI Action Plan, which mandates that federal agencies provide access to large language models to employees who could benefit from them. The goal is to streamline workflows and assist in time-consuming tasks, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of government operations [1].

Microsoft has extensive experience selling cloud services to the government, which is a significant advantage over competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic, who have generally partnered with companies that have already gone through the FedRAMP process [1].

The GSA has prioritized certain AI cloud services for FedRAMP authorization, reflecting the growing importance of AI in government operations. This move is expected to drive widespread adoption of AI tools across federal agencies, potentially transforming how government services are delivered [1].

References:
[1] https://fedscoop.com/microsoft-onegov-deal-copilot-azure-artificial-intelligence/
[2] https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/09/02/accelerating-ai-adoption-for-the-us-government/