Microsoft rolls out usage‑charged Copilot Cowork AI agent as Amazon launches Alexa+ personal assistant in France

Microsoft announced Copilot Cowork, an AI‑driven office assistant that can autonomously draft documents, build spreadsheets and manage email on behalf of users. The new service is billed per task in addition to the existing Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, with costs ranging from $50 to $500 per month per user depending on compute consumption. Customers can set spending limits by employee, team or department, and choose between models from Anthropic, OpenAI or a lower‑cost “Cowork 1”.

Amazon introduced Alexa+, a refreshed voice assistant that leverages generative AI models, including French‑language models from Mistral, to enable more natural, multi‑turn conversations. Alexa+ can remember user preferences, interpret visual input from its built‑in camera, and perform actions such as scheduling meetings, controlling smart‑home devices and booking restaurants through a partnership with The Fork. The company highlighted its deep integration with French cultural references and the ability to handle complex queries across a wide range of topics.