Microsoft Bing Copilot & Microsoft 365 Copilot with Privacy and Security Policies

This FAQ clarifies the core differences between Microsoft Bing Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot, along with an overview of their privacy and security policies.

1. What is Bing Copilot?

Bing Copilot is integrated within Bing and is primarily intended for personal use, enabling users to perform natural language searches and receive summarized information from the web. It operates independently from Microsoft 365 and is accessible to anyone for free. While Bing Copilot includes basic security measures, it does not feature the advanced data protections found in Microsoft 365 Copilot, making it suitable for general information but not for sensitive or enterprise data.

2. What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Microsoft 365 Copilot is designed for business environments, working alongside Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams to enhance productivity through AI-driven insights and recommendations. It is tailored to the needs of enterprise users, offering advanced data security, compliance, and integration with Microsoft’s productivity suite. Microsoft 365 Copilot is available via subscription, providing robust protection for enterprise data within the Microsoft 365 environment.

3. Key Differences between Bing Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot

4. Privacy and Security Policies for Each Copilot

Bing Copilot

• Data Handling: Bing Copilot processes publicly available web data. For Bing Chat Enterprise users, Microsoft ensures that business data is not used to train AI models, enhancing security for enterprise users.
• Data Storage: Bing Copilot does not retain user-specific search data permanently. Data from enterprise users is kept separate and does not contribute to training AI models.
• Security Features: While Bing Copilot includes basic security features, it lacks the comprehensive enterprise-grade protections of Microsoft 365 Copilot. This makes it suitable for non-sensitive, personal data queries.
  • Learn more about Bing Copilot’s privacy practices

Microsoft 365 Copilot

• Data Security: Microsoft 365 Copilot follows the Microsoft Data Protection Addendum (DPA), ensuring enterprise-grade data security. Data remains within the organization’s Microsoft 365 tenant and adheres to strict compliance standards, including GDPR.
• Data Usage: Microsoft does not use any data from Microsoft 365 Copilot to train its AI models. The tool is compliant with Microsoft’s security framework, which includes encryption, access control, and data residency commitments.
• Access Control: The tool uses Microsoft Graph to access data such as emails, documents, and calendars. Data access is governed by the same security protocols as other Microsoft 365 apps, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.
  • Learn more about Microsoft 365 Copilot’s security and compliance

5. Recommended Use Cases

• Bing Copilot: Ideal for personal searches, general inquiries, and quick information retrieval on the web. Suitable for individuals who need quick, summarized responses without the need for enterprise security.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot: Best for business tasks involving confidential data, document creation, meeting summaries, and workflow automation within the Microsoft ecosystem. This tool is recommended for enterprise users who require strict data security and compliance.

6. Practical Security Tips for Using Both Copilot Versions

• For Bing Copilot:

  • Avoid sharing sensitive business data.
  • Use Bing Chat Enterprise if business use is necessary, as it offers basic data isolation.

• For Microsoft 365 Copilot:

  • Enable Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies within Microsoft 365 to control data sharing.
  • Leverage Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for additional account security.
  • Ensure data retention policies align with organizational requirements to maintain compliance with regulatory standards.

By understanding the differences between these tools, employees can effectively choose the right AI assistant for their needs while upholding data security and compliance requirements.

Sources:

• Microsoft Learn - Copilot in Bing vs. Microsoft 365 Copilot​:contentReference[oaicite:3]
• Beyond Intranet - Copilot Comparison
• AspiraCloud - Differences Between Microsoft 365 Copilot and Bing Copilot
• MSPoweruser - Comparison of Bing Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Windows Copilot