Frequently asked questions
Summary:
This blog evaluates the available research on the ROI of Microsoft Copilot AI highlighting findings recent studies and real-world case studies. It reviews licensing costs, adoption strategies, and how integration with Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone strengthens productivity gains. The focus is on helping CIOs weigh the evidence and decide where Copilot delivers the most value.
CIOs face a familiar dilemma. Productivity promises versus licensing costs. Microsoft Copilot AI is the latest test.
On paper, the numbers look convincing. Forrester reports a 116% ROI over three years for a 25,000 employee enterprise, with nearly $20M in net present value. Other case studies show savings of thousands of hours per month, faster product launches, and reduced attrition. Yet the licensing cost - $30 per user, per month - adds up quickly at scale.
The reality is this: ROI scales with how broadly Copilot is embedded. In Word and Outlook, it cuts routine work. In Excel and PowerPoint, it accelerates analysis and content creation. In Teams, it transforms meetings and collaboration. Extend it further with Teams Phone, and Copilot begins to cover external calls too, the conversations that often matter most. The more touchpoints you connect, the stronger the return.
This guide covers proven ROI figures for Copilot AI, how it works, the impact of licensing on budgets, and practical ways to maximize returns.
For broader context on features and adoption, see our full guide to Microsoft 365 Copilot >>
What is Microsoft Copilot AI?
Copilot is Microsoft’s branded assistant built into the Microsoft 365 suite. It uses large language models connected to Microsoft Graph — your emails, files, meetings, and chats — to surface insights and automate tasks. In practice, that means drafting documents, summarizing calls, and generating reports in seconds instead of hours.
For CIOs, the question isn’t what is Copilot AI but rather what AI does Copilot use. Microsoft AI Copilot runs on Azure OpenAI Service, blending GPT models with your enterprise data. That combination keeps outputs context-aware while respecting Microsoft’s compliance and security frameworks.
Early trials prove the value:
- In Australia’s government pilot, Copilot users saved about an hour a day on summarization and drafting, with 61% saying the quality of their work improved.
- Law firm DWF cut a seven-day contract draft down to seven hours. These are not marginal gains — they are measurable productivity leaps that justify a closer look.
Microsoft Teams Copilot integration
Microsoft Teams Copilot takes the AI assistant into your collaboration hub. It joins meetings, listens to chat, and works across channels. Ask it for a recap and it highlights key points, decisions, and action items. Missed a meeting? Copilot gives you the summary in minutes.
This is where the Microsoft Teams Copilot integration shows its value. Instead of chasing notes or replaying recordings, your team moves straight to execution. Workflows speed up because Copilot in Microsoft Teams connects the dots across conversations, documents, and calendars.
In customer pilots, these small wins add up:
- One financial services firm cut coding tasks from eight hours to two and reduced chatbot launches from three months to ten days by deploying Copilot in Teams alongside GitHub.
- In legal services, lawyers compressed days of drafting into hours with Copilot working inside Teams meetings.
This means less time wasted on duplication and more time spent on high-value work. Microsoft Copilot for Teams doesn’t just automate minutes, it keeps teams aligned, reduces friction, and strengthens decision-making.
Why Teams Phone unlocks full ROI
Copilot in Microsoft Teams looks impressive. It takes notes in meetings, lists action items, and gives you quick recaps in chat. Useful, yes. But without Teams Phone, half your conversations don’t count.
Customer calls. Supplier negotiations. Partner discussions. They all sit outside Copilot’s view. That means no summaries, no follow-ups, no context. You’re back to scribbled notes and patchy memory.
Add Teams Phone, and the picture changes. Now Copilot can capture and summarize PSTN calls just like it does with Teams meetings. A customer escalation moves from one rep to another without losing the thread. The call notes, unresolved questions, and next steps follow the transfer. No repeats. No dropped context.
Independent studies back this up:
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Forrester found that when voice calls were included, employees could save on average 23 minutes per call, with some roles reclaiming the equivalent of 50+ working days per year.
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In banking, early adopters reported tens of thousands of hours saved annually when Copilot captured calls alongside meetings.
Meeting summaries save time. But the bigger win comes from integrating external conversations. Without Teams Phone, Microsoft Copilot AI is running at half power. With it, AI Copilot becomes a true enterprise tool — one that covers the conversations that actually drive revenue.
Understanding Microsoft Copilot licensing
Licensing is where CIOs often pause. The business case looks strong on paper, but the subscription cost adds weight to every decision. Microsoft AI Copilot is priced at $30 per user, per month on top of your Microsoft 365 subscription, and at enterprise scale that cost demands scrutiny.
There are two main options:
- Copilot Pro – aimed at individual users on Microsoft 365 Personal or Family plans.
- Copilot for Microsoft 365 – the enterprise license that integrates with Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and the rest of the suite.
The decision isn’t whether to buy Copilot everywhere. It’s who gets it first. For most CIOs, the best play is selective licensing. Start with roles that spend the most time in documents, meetings, or calls — the employees who generate the quickest wins. Think legal teams drafting contracts, finance teams running reports, or service teams managing customer conversations.
This is where MS Copilot AI makes the licensing math work. Instead of blanketing the enterprise, CIOs can target deployment, measure time saved, and expand as the ROI proves itself.
For more information on licensing, visit Microsoft’s pricing page here.
ROI considerations for CIOs
Across industries, the pattern is consistent: Copilot translates directly into time saved, efficiency gained, and operations streamlined.
The hard ROI comes from measurable savings. Case studies report thousands of hours freed every year.
- British Columbia Investment Corporation saved 2,300+ hours in its pilot and saw 10–20% productivity gains for 84% of users.
- The Commercial Bank of Dubai saved 39,000 hours annually by automating routine communications.
The soft ROI matters too. Faster onboarding, reduced burnout, and lower attrition:
- Forrester projected Copilot could cut employee attrition by 20% and reduce onboarding time by 25%. Those are HR costs avoided, not just IT efficiencies.
The risks are adoption and change management. Copilot doesn’t deliver returns if employees don’t use it. CIOs will need structured rollout, training, and clear expectations.
One principle holds across all studies: ROI grows when Copilot has broader context. That means rolling it out not just in Word and Outlook, but in Teams — and extending it with Teams Phone so external conversations feed into the same AI engine.
Is Microsoft Copilot worth it?
Yes — but only if it’s deployed with intent. Microsoft Copilot AI can deliver measurable ROI, but the gains vary by role, licensing strategy, and adoption. CIOs who target high-impact teams first see the fastest returns.
The biggest lever is coverage. Internal meetings, documents, and emails show strong savings on their own. Add Teams Phone, and Copilot extends to the external conversations that drive revenue, compliance, and customer experience. That’s when Copilot shifts from a productivity tool to an enterprise asset.
For CIOs weighing the investment, the decision comes down to alignment. Match licensing to real use cases. Plan adoption carefully. And don’t overlook voice. Without it, Copilot delivers incremental ROI. With it, AI Copilot becomes the connective tissue for enterprise communication.
For a complete breakdown of Copilot across Microsoft 365, see our full guide to Microsoft 365 Copilot.
If you’re exploring how to bring Teams Phone into your Copilot strategy, speak to our experts about building the right foundation for ROI.
