GPT-5.6 Becomes the Preferred Model for Microsoft 365 Copilot
OpenAI's GPT-5.6 is now the preferred model behind Microsoft 365 Copilot, powering Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Copilot Chat, and the Cowork automation tool inside Microsoft's productivity suite. Microsoft confirmed the switch on July 9. OpenAI describes GPT-5.6 as its newest flagship model, built for stronger performance per dollar and on-demand power for the most complex tasks.
The timing follows a notable regulatory hurdle. Multiple outlets, including Axios and CNBC, reported that the U.S. Department of Commerce had cleared GPT-5.6 for broad release, ending a preview that limited access to a small group of vetted partners. The White House told CNBC it had issued no formal "clearance" and said release decisions rest with the companies themselves, so the exact nature of the government's role remains disputed.
What Changes Inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Each app gets a slightly different benefit, according to OpenAI's announcement. In Word, the model is built to turn rough ideas into fuller drafts with fewer rounds of prompting. In Excel, GPT-5.6 is meant to support deeper analysis while using tokens more efficiently, shortening the path from raw data to a usable answer.
PowerPoint follows the same pattern. OpenAI says the model can turn early ideas into more polished, visually balanced slides with less manual formatting, cutting down the editing work that used to fall on the user.
Cowork Takes On the Heaviest Work
Cowork gets the most weight in the update. Rather than returning a draft for the user to finish, Microsoft describes Cowork as planning across tools and files and returning a completed deliverable, grounded in a business's own emails, meetings, and documents through what Microsoft calls Work IQ.
Nitin Agrawal, President of Copilot & Agents Core at Microsoft, said the change lets customers "produce more polished outputs in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Cowork, and Copilot Chat" without added manual coordination. OpenAI's Nikunj Handa, who leads API product, described the goal as getting more useful work out of every token spent inside tools people already use daily.
A Three-Model Family, Still Rolling Out
Reporting from outlets tracking the release describes GPT-5.6 as a family of three models: a flagship version for the most demanding tasks, a mid-range option balancing cost and capability, and a faster, lower-cost version for high-volume work. OpenAI's own announcement does not break down the naming, so specifics beyond the flagship tier come from that outside reporting rather than the company itself.
Access will not be immediate for every organization. Rollout depends on region and tenant configuration, and Copilot may switch to GPT-5.6 automatically for a given task or leave the choice to a model picker where one is enabled. Microsoft has not published a firm date for when every customer will see the change.
Source: OpenAI's announcement on GPT-5.6 in Microsoft 365 Copilot