On June 16, 2026, Microsoft rolled out Copilot Cowork worldwide. Behind that slightly technical name is a fairly significant shift in how AI works inside Microsoft 365: instead of helping you draft something, Cowork takes on a full task, carries it through from start to finish, and hands you the finished result. And it keeps working even when your computer is off, because it all runs in the cloud.

For an SMB in Trois-Rivières, the Mauricie region, or anywhere else in Quebec, the real news here isn’t just another AI agent showing up. It’s the new way it’s billed: instead of a flat monthly fee, you pay for what you actually use. That opens up possibilities, but it also means keeping a close eye on the bill. Here’s what’s changing, in plain terms.

1. What exactly is Copilot Cowork?

The Copilot most people know waits for a question, then answers it. Cowork goes further. It’s what’s known as an agent: you give it a goal, and it works through the steps on its own to get there. According to Microsoft, it can pull together multiple tools and data sources from your Microsoft 365 environment (Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, your files) to produce a finished deliverable, not just a starting point.

In practice, that means tasks like:

• Pulling together a detailed report by digging through several documents and mailboxes.
• Following up on a file over several days without anyone having to nudge it.
• Working through a long list of repetitive steps while you’re busy with something else.

The key point: the work happens in Microsoft’s cloud, within the security and compliance rules already set up in your Microsoft 365 environment. Your computer can be off and the task keeps running.

2. The real change: you pay for what you use

This is where the business model shifts. Cowork doesn’t run on a flat per-user price. You first need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (the well-known USL), and then Cowork usage is billed in Copilot credits, based on what you actually consume.

Microsoft offers two payment options: pay as you go (a credit is priced around US$0.01 as a rough guide, with the current official price available from Microsoft), or commit to a volume upfront for a discount. The cost of a task depends on four factors: the AI model used, the amount of information it has to pull, the number of tools involved, and how long the task takes to run.

To give a sense of scale, Microsoft groups tasks into three categories (rough figures, worth confirming with the source):

• Light task: a quick summary, roughly 100 to 300 credits.
• Medium task: roughly 400 to 700 credits.
• Heavy task: a large multi-part report, 700 credits or more.

It works a bit like an electricity bill: the bigger and longer the task, the more it costs. That’s flexible, but it means keeping an eye on usage, the same way you would with any cloud service. Our managed IT services team helps SMBs get a handle on this kind of variable cost before it gets out of hand.

3. Why this matters for your Quebec SMB

Plenty of businesses in the region already pay for Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Cowork adds a genuinely useful layer of automation, but also a new cost line to understand. Here’s what actually changes:

• Time saved. Long, tedious tasks (compiling, sorting, following up) can be handed off, freeing your staff for higher-value work.
• A cost to watch. The pay-as-you-go model pays off when it’s managed, and gets risky if left wide open. An employee could kick off several large tasks without realizing what it costs.
• A decision to make. Should you turn it on for everyone, for a pilot team, or hold off for now? The right call depends on your actual needs.

By Microsoft’s own testing, Cowork runs on average 30 to 40 percent cheaper than the equivalent Claude agent connected to Microsoft 365. That figure comes from Microsoft, so take it as a data point rather than gospel, but it does show that the cost battle between AI agents is very real.

4. The safeguards: off by default, controlled by the admin

Good news for peace of mind: Cowork is off by default. Nothing runs or bills until an administrator turns it on deliberately in your environment. Microsoft has also added a cost management dashboard in the Microsoft 365 admin center, which helps keep things under control.

Among the tools available to prevent runaway costs:

• Spending caps that can be set by organization, group, or user. Once the limit is hit, billing stops.
• Alerts that notify admins as soon as a threshold you’ve set is crossed.
• Logs and reports to see who’s using what and understand the costs.

Also worth noting: customers who took part in the preview program (from March through June 16) get a grace period and won’t be billed for Cowork before July 1, 2026. If your organization was in that group, now’s the time to set your limits before billing kicks in. Not sure where you stand? Contact our team and we can check your tenant with you.

5. Our recommendation at OKTO

AI agent automation is a real step forward, but the usage-based model calls for discipline. Before turning Cowork on company-wide, we recommend starting small: a pilot group, clear spending caps, alerts in place, and a usage review after a few weeks. It’s the best way to capture the time savings without an unpleasant surprise on the bill.

This is exactly the kind of support OKTO Solutions provides for SMBs in Trois-Rivières and the Mauricie region: setting up the right safeguards, explaining to teams what each task costs, and keeping your Microsoft 365 environment secure while you explore these new tools.

Frequently asked questions

Is Copilot Cowork included in my Microsoft 365 subscription?

No. Cowork requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, and usage is billed separately, in credits, based on what you consume. It’s not a flat amount bundled into the base subscription.

Will Cowork turn itself on and start generating costs?

No. It’s off by default. An administrator has to turn it on deliberately, and can set spending caps by organization, group, or user to stay in control.

How much does a task cost in Cowork?

It depends on the task. Microsoft gives rough ranges, from about 100 to 300 credits for a light task up to 700-plus credits for a heavy one. The exact cost varies by model, the amount of information processed, and processing time. Always check Microsoft’s official pricing, since it can change.

Ready to bring AI into your Microsoft 365 environment under control?

Copilot Cowork’s arrival is a great opportunity to automate without losing your grip on costs, as long as it’s set up right. Find out how our team can help on our managed IT services page, or reach out directly through our contact page to review your Microsoft 365 environment.