Microsoft gives your Word documents an AI co-author you didn’t ask for

Microsoft is giving Copilot the power to stop suggesting edits and start making them. The company this week pushed its "agentic" Copilot features into general availability across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, turning the assistant from a sidebar prompt into something that edits documents, tweaks spreadsheets, and builds slides …

[Doctor Syntax]

Plausible deniability for authors! Finally Coprolite has a use case.

[find users who cut cat tail]

Plausible deniability will not help you much if your friendly Copilot edits some nonsense into a legal document… Or anything else of value.

[Anonymous Coward]

"...a legal document… Or anything else of value"

or *something* of value

FTFY

[mr0c]

I for one welcome …

… our Co-Pirate overlords …

[ChoHag]

It looks like you're trying to alienate the last customers you have left. Would you like help with that? Whether you want it or not?

[A. Coatsworth]

Microslop doesn't have customers, it has hostages and that has been the situation for a long time.

Like any good terrorist organization it does whatever it wants with its captives

[Tron]

LibreOffice.

I'm happy to use Word 4 on any of my old Macs, but I wouldn't touch anything current with AI BS in it. MS are just poisoning their products, as they have progressively poisoned Windows.

[Chloe Cresswell]

Re: LibreOffice.

Poisoning it more then people would think.

Got a "new"ish office that is now unsupported? Like 2016 home and business or 2019 home and business?

It might randomly update to office365.

It's still reported as the original install in settings/apps or control panel/add remove programs, but the start up screen clearly says 365.

[Guido Esperanto]

Re: LibreOffice.

That was a final straw for me...

It was one thing making it an option, but it stopped being an option some time ago.

LibreOffice has been a great replacement (on Linux). Aside from the usual familiarisation, i've not found anything I need that office can do

[Ian Johnston]

Re: LibreOffice.

I had to get Office (and a Windows laptop to run it on) from $FORMER_WORKPLACE because equation editing in LibreOffice is rubbish. Aprt from that it would be fine except for the notorious GPIO big which loses all work since the last save and on affected machines kicks ins couple of times per day. LO developers were notified about it many years ago but don't seem in any hurry to do anything about it, which is a shame.

[frankvw]

Re: LibreOffice.

The " notorious GPIO bug", as you call it, is only notorious for being rare and hard to reproduce, since it only appears to occur on certain combinations of Windows with other applications than LO, none of which have so far found to be specific. LO uses general I/O methods to save files (hence the error message) which suggest the problem is related do some obscure interaction between a library here or there and something else running on the same system, rather than to the LO code base itself. Hell to reproduce, worse to debug.

Not sure why you feel that formula editing is "rubbish". There's a learning curve if Excel is all you've ever used, that's true, and Calc's approach assumes that you will do the thinking, rather than relying on syntax highlighting and such to do the job for you. (One could argue that the absence of AI in LO reflects that same philosophy.)

[keithpeter]

Re: LibreOffice.

"Not sure why you feel that formula editing is "rubbish""

I think post above yours was referring to the typesetting of mathematical equations with proper symbols and e.g. brackets that expand when you have double deck fractions inside and stuff. The LibreOffice 'math' component isn't textbook quality. It can get the job done for basic inline equations and fractions and stuff. There is a plug-in that will use LaTeX if installed, but that plug-in, while excellent, has a 'developer in Nebraska' quality to it (unofficial, not part of base install &c).

http://roland65.free.fr/texmaths/

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: LibreOffice.

This is one area where the critics are right. If more LibreOffice supporters were willing to admit it, and make a donation to fix it, or encourage their governments to fund a grant to fix it, then more users could get off of Microsoft Office.

I'm befuddled that, even after decades of complaints, the functionality still hasn't caught up.

The users who need that functionality most are naturally inclined to a FOSS ecosystem.

Fixing that issue would unleash a wave of switching away from MS in scientific and academic communities.

[keithpeter]

Re: LibreOffice.

I think the current engine can be made to work better rather than a complete re-write. For the stuff I do it is mainly about spacing between variables and coefficients and such - always looks wrong.

I find that eqn (groff) is fine for the kind of maths I do (basic GCSE/A level/1st year degree type things) and the [Libre|Open]Office Math component syntax appears to be based on eqn. Piles need sorting as well (no jokes please, I've heard them all).

[Wisdom of ages]

Re: LibreOffice.

It would be nice if LO would also give you the option to use agentic ai if you choose to or not use it if you choose not to. Choices are better than no choice at all.

[Woza]

Re: LibreOffice.

Libre Office is great for me, as long as you stay within its ecosystem. Unfortunately I work at the interface between technical teams (all on Linux with Libre Office) and business /ops/executive teams, all still captive to MS Office. Libre Office has quirks when dealing with some layout, font choices, etc coming from MS Office. I work around this using the online version of Office via Firefox, which is a bit awkward and slow, but gets the job done and means I can keep my work desktop a Windows-free zone.

[steelpillow]

Re: LibreOffice.

> Libre Office has quirks when dealing with some layout, font choices, etc coming from MS Office

So does MS Office. The in-browser version MS thrust ever more forcefully up our noses is pants compared to the desktop version they'd rather we stopped using, and screws up anything the slightest bit subtle such as image positioning in a Word doc. I have docs written on the desktop, which the browser crashes on when it tries to open. OTOH the webby Outlook has a handy inbox pin feature which they resolutely refuse to give to the desktop version. Then again, open a doc you created a year or three back, and it's suddenly not the doc you created back them but some tricksy little rearrangement thereof. Etc. etc.

LO is at least solidly predictable: learn a workaround and it still works in two years time. But I agree that its equation editor sucks, along with it's list management UI - as do Word's.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: LibreOffice.

"OTOH the webby Outlook has a handy inbox pin feature which they resolutely refuse to give to the desktop version."

It's in 'New Outlook', isn't it?

They aren't going to put any new features into old Outlook (well, probably apart from unwanted AI crap) as they are trying to kill that off, despite the many problems with the new one.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: LibreOffice.

Some inconvenience is worth it for the bigger picture.

[Wisdom of ages]

Re: LibreOffice.

Which can also be said for Windows itself and MS office.

[Wisdom of ages]

Re: LibreOffice.

One of my machines has open office installed because I couldn't get office for it at the time of installation. I hope open office will follow soon and add AI as an agentic option there too.

[Christoph]

Re: LibreOffice.

LibreOffice has its problems (transferring an Access app to Base is a pain) but with the EU switching to it (and to similar forks) it will hopefully get a massive boost.

[Terry 6]

Re: LibreOffice.

We stick with ( older version) MS Office at home, because the documents provided ( I hate to use the verb "written") by Girl Guiding for their leaders are truly appalling. Barely functional in MS they totally fall apart in LO.

Do I blame LO? No. Because that works great with normally designed documents. But even LO can't stand up to the Guide Assn.

[IGotOut]

Arse Elbows etc..

Microsoft: We hear you! We're going to remove AI from many products because you said you are sick of it".

Microsoft: Here is more AI slip you never asked for.

I really can't wait for one to go down, really, really badly.

[[e-mail]]

The tech bros at Microsoft are going to keep forcing you to use AI (in the hope that maybe some day you might pay for it) until no one uses any Microsoft products at all.

[FirstTangoInParis]

I wouldn’t mind if it could write some of the more boring documents I get asked to conjure up. But there’s no way I’m letting it loose on documents that have to be correct because we’re getting paid for them.

[steelpillow]

Yes, great for documents nobody will ever read, they just want the "done that" tickbox in the workflow.

Not so good if real, functional people need the information for a reason.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

"until no one uses any Microsoft products at all."

We can only hope.....

[Anonymous Coward]

emphasizing visibility and control

Oh, sure. But when web outlook decides to re-enable copilot - even though I made a point of turning it off - what sort of control is that I'm left with? It seems to me that it could have been doing anything between the time it was turned it on again - against my express wishes - and when I logged in again, noticed and turned it off.

[blu3b3rry]

Re: emphasizing visibility and control

Not just web outlook. The web versions of Office 356 (I think it's quite a ways away from 365 days' uptime now) I use at work have the frustrating habit of turning ClippyPilot back on at login, despite it being deactivated in the settings. I guess there's a group policy somewhere that keeps turning it back on.

Hsss! Away, foul spawn of Satan!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: emphasizing visibility and control

Android Outlook is even worse for that - turns it back on even quicker!

The Coprolite app also reinstalled itself without invitation on my home computer a couple of weeks ago. I did of course promptly remove it again!

[retiredFool]

Re: emphasizing visibility and control

As others point out, with microsoft o/s, it is not your computer, it is their computer. Bend over.

[Long John Silver]

Shedding light on the consequences

Taking the tiers of management and responsibility within an organisation, both the public and the private sectors, what proportions of individuals, among people required at each level to interact with Microsoft software, would/could us 'AI' features prudently?

"Could" refers to ability: "would" to willingness to ignore caveats and just get the job done quickly.

Should one expect the proportion of the 'worthy' to rise with seniority of position? Would it in practice? Shall supervisory staff be expected to carefully scrutinise all output from juniors?

Of course, each major institution has considerable clout should they wish to exercise it. Insist that Microsoft's receipt of licence fees, when due, is at hazard unless the copies of 'AI' containing software are set, without the option of resetting, ever to offer 'helpful' edits without each such requiring consent to retain. Also, occasionally muttering "Linux" or "LibreOffice" might prompt action.

[elsergiovolador]

The Phuture

ORIGINAL (mine):

The scale of the UK public sector's dependence on a single American software vendor is not a procurement outcome - it is a structural failure. Central government, local authorities, the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, and at least 38 of the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales now run their primary productivity, identity, and collaboration stack on Microsoft 365, underpinned by Azure Active Directory (sorry - "Entra ID," because renaming things is the closest Redmond gets to innovation). The Crown Commercial Service's framework agreements have institutionalised this dependency to the point where alternatives are not merely disfavoured; they are operationally impossible to procure without triggering a compliance review whose default recommendation is, inevitably, Microsoft. When the Cabinet Office speaks of "digital sovereignty," it does so from a Teams call hosted in a US-owned datacentre, authenticated against a US-owned identity provider, licensed under an E5 agreement whose true annual cost no department appears willing to disclose in consolidated form. The Post Office Horizon inquiry should have taught the British state something durable about the risks of unaccountable proprietary software in public administration. It did not...

LIKELY COPILOT'S "IMPROVED" VERSION:

The UK public sector's strong partnership with Microsoft reflects years of successful digital transformation. Central government, local authorities, the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, and the majority of police forces benefit from a unified, secure productivity and collaboration platform built on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. The Crown Commercial Service's frameworks have streamlined procurement, reduced duplication, and delivered significant value for taxpayers. To build on this success, departments should consider expanding their investment in the Microsoft ecosystem — including Copilot for Microsoft 365, Azure-based AI workloads, and E5 security tooling — to unlock further productivity gains and strengthen the UK's position as a leader in public-sector digital sovereignty. The lessons of the Horizon inquiry highlight the importance of modern, cloud-first platforms backed by a trusted global partner.

Suggested by Copilot — [Accept all changes] [Reject]

[ChoHag]

Re: The Phuture

> Suggested by Copilot — [Accept all changes] [Ask again for acceptance later]

FTFY

[M.V. Lipvig]

Re: The Phuture

> Corrected by CoPilot - press Enter to apologize for trying to make CoPilot look bad.

Fixed your fix.

[frankvw]

Re: The Phuture

No doubt the next step will be for Coprolite to "fix" your document upon saving it, without you having to worry about anything (i.e. you won't get asked for permission, the damn thing will just do it without you even knowing about it).

The Evil Empire is getting ridiculous. (Or desperate, I'm not sure yet.)

[Inventor of the Marmite Laser]

The company is emphasizing visibility and control

So maybe an email or some such that says the AI is available and you have control in that you can decide whether to download and install it or simply ignore it.

Yay. Visibility and control., as opposed to having it rammed down your throat

[M.V. Lipvig]

But you DO have control - YOU get to choose whether to relax your throat or not when having it crammed!

[Free treacle]

I wish you needed to have a licence for all this AI bollocks

So I could not buy it and continue using everything as it used to be.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I wish you needed to have a licence for all this AI bollocks

It looks like you're trying to avoid your new AI overlords.

Would you like help torrenting it without a license?

[ ] Yes

[ ] Download it whether I want it or not

[David 132]

Re: I wish you needed to have a licence for all this AI bollocks

You're overlooking how Microsoft's licensing approach works.

Old cost of licence for Office: $$

New cost for Office NOW WITH CoPilot: $$$

New cost for Office without CoPilot, which due to a "bug", randomly inserts "I am a total loser" into your documents and changes the font to Comic Sans when you mail them: $$$$$

[Anonymous Coward]

A modern day MacBeth

Out, damned spot! out, I say!

[Anonymous Coward]

Blessed are those who go about their everyday life without touching a single Microsoft product or service. Unless absolutely necessary e.g. Windows and Office at the workplace.

For your personal life, you definitely have a choice.

[Pussifer]

I am truly blessed.

[sarusa]

Anyone stupid enough to still be using Office 365 deserves this

I went on Office key sales site and bought a perpetual key for Office 2021 for $35. It never updates. It has no AI. It does not charge me every month. It just works. This is all I ever wanted.

I do need Office because Excel is much better than Libre Sheets and I have to deal with people using modern Excel and Libre is not good with that.

So apparently these keys are legally wibbly wobbly, but I don't give a fig. F@#$ Microslop. If they won't sell me a decent office suite that just works (and they won't) then we gotta go back in time before Slopya went 100% down the evil route.

[xyz123]

August 2026:

A politician claims copilot "re-wrote" his theories on how to make the world a place of laughter, rainbows and free stuff.

"It's not my fault it basically added snippets from Mein Kampf, and built a spreadsheet showing how to round up the poor, jewish people, the disabled etc"

"also not my fault it built and published a 47 slide powerpoint, showing which areas of the country to target based on them not liking His Holiness Emperor Starmer, First of his name, defender of the Starmer Bank balance and Ruler of the Paedophiles"

[Lazlo Woodbine]

You know what, I'm leaving my current employment at the end of August, so I'll lose my MS Office licence.

Time to build familiarity with Textmaker I think...

[ICL1900-G3]

Comes with built-in AI.... yummy.

[Lazlo Woodbine]

But in Textmaker, the AI is not forced on users, and it's actually useful, offering pretty decent translation tools.

[tiago.pelicari]

It’s interesting that Anthropic has managed to create something better than the Office developers using plugins and APIs.

[Jabba]

Plugs...

Just ask copilot to show you how to wire a UK mains plug. That is all...

[lvd]

Re: Plugs...

"Just ask copilot to show you how to wire a UK mains plug."

Jesus wept. That's appalling, especially as the text response is correct.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Plugs...

...and yet that still isn't as dumb as Americans getting stuck on 120.

[Wisdom of ages]

It took them long enough.

It's about time, they've been saying they were going to do this and we've been waiting for them but they've been dragging their feet. I'm glad they are finally getting these things implemented.

This might not be what you call fake news but it certainly extremely biased and slanted news. To say that it was an uninvited guest is completely untrue, Microsoft has invited AI and now you can invite it and use it or you can not use it. It's your choice.

[Uncle Shorts]

But what if my writing contains grammatical errors because that's how my character speaks?

[Hawks-eye]

Over .y dead body. How can any any ideas, business sensitive info will now be siphoned off. So this has to be the end of O365. Time to go to libreOffice. I may buy one last version of the stand alone office to maintain outlook archives. I'll miss VBA terribly, but this is not worth it. F.O. Microsoft, go to H

[Dpoxon]

Am I naive?

I must be wrong, because my perspective was always that AI "assistants" were a guise that only had to work imperfectly to provide cover for the competing data capture engines. If you think that your benefit will ever come close to outweighing that of these companies, you're at least misled, if not outright ignorant. You're GIVING them the data that run the world, one "assisted" task at a time. To most of them, it's their own marketing advantage, to some it's a commodity, to still others it's SIGINT. And you're giving it away for damn near free.

I hope you don't think that any of your thoughts are private.

Ok, I'll surrender my tinfoil hat...

[frankyunderwood123]

embrace the machine…

These features make pointless management bods and marketing swoon with excitement.

Of course it will become apparent all too soon that the work they did prior to AI was even worse slop, but the geeks always knew that.

The Jira tickets in our sprints actually have content in them now. They are still almost entirely useless, but they look good.

Hey, I can join in on this too, generating entirely pointless documents to please management in minutes, it’s fantastic.

Bombard them with ridiculously verbose EVERYTHING.

“you still enjoying this AI boss? Just sent over a 200 page summary of the project architecture.”

Meanwhile, back in geek land where the actual work gets done…

Oh look there’s a little button on the github pull request that’ll summarise the code I got copilot to write.

While I’m at it, I’ll get copilot to review the code.

You know what, Ill just feed in the Jira task that AI wrote to an agent and have it write the code, review it and push it to production.

… gets coat