Microsoft 365 Family subscribers can finally share AI benefits
Microsoft 365 Family and Premium users can now share Copilot and AI features with up to five members, alongside a shift to a shared 2TB OneDrive pool.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Microsoft 365 Family and Premium to share AI features with up to five other people
- OneDrive storage pool is being shifted to a shared 2TB limit across the entire plan
- Microsoft 365 Premium launched a year prior for $19.99 a month including Copilot Pro
After bundling its AI-powered Office features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions last year and restricting access solely to the primary account holder, Microsoft is finally expanding these capabilities. The company is set to let Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers share Copilot and AI usage features, alongside access to Office apps and OneDrive storage, with up to five other people on their plan.
In an email sent to Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers reviewed by The Verge, Microsoft outlined these upcoming changes to subscription plans which will roll out over the coming months for users worldwide.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Despite the broader access to AI tools, the storage updates introduce a notable limitation. Instead of providing individual accounts with 1TB of OneDrive storage each, Microsoft is restricting storage to a shared pool of 2TB total across the entire family plan.
Microsoft argues that this change makes storage more flexible if a single member exceeds the previous 1TB individual limit. However, industry observers note it could also serve as an effective way for the company to encourage users to purchase additional OneDrive storage upgrades.
This policy shift highlights how tech companies are carefully recalibrating subscription value propositions to account for the heavy resource demands of AI features. By allowing families to pool resources while tightening cloud storage limits, Microsoft balances expanding consumer AI adoption with managing infrastructure costs.
According to a support note, existing subscribers in eligible markets may also qualify for transitional bonus storage, and Microsoft plans to provide additional assistance to families who rely heavily on large amounts of storage capacity.
Source: The Verge
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