MC1136035 – M365 Change Digest

One-line summary

Unlicensed users can now access generative AI image creation and editing in Microsoft 365 Copilot Create, with standard access and existing admin controls applying.

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Details

Summary

Microsoft 365 Copilot's Create module now offers generative AI image and visual content creation to all Copilot Chat users without a license, with standard access and existing admin controls applying. Video, survey, and brand kit features remain restricted. Rollout began mid-August for desktop, with mobile following in October 2025.

Body (from Message Center)

We’re providing standard access to the generative AI features of Create in Microsoft 365 Copilot to users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, enabling all Copilot Chat users in your organization to generate images and edit visual content—such as posters, banners, infographics, and images—using AI-powered tools. This update makes visual creation more accessible across your organization, helping users communicate ideas with the help of Copilot.

Learn more about standard vs. priority access to Copilot features: Standard versus priority access to features in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

[When this will happen]

General availability (Web, Windows, macOS): Began rolling out mid-August and is expected to complete in the coming weeks.
Mobile availability: will follow in mid-October 2025 after the desktop rollout.

[How this will affect your organization:]

Users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will now see options to create content with Copilot, enabling them to generate and edit posters, banners, infographics, and images using AI-powered tools with standard access. Existing admin controls for image generation apply to these AI capabilities.

Feature limitations:

These users will not be able to generate videos, surveys, and will not have access to brand kits in Create
If image generation is disabled by tenant admins, the following features will be hidden for both licensed and unlicensed users: Image, Poster, Banner, Infographic, Story, and Edit an image
No additional admin action is required. Existing admin controls for image generation apply to these capabilities.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

Review your current image generation settings in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
If needed, update your tenant configuration using the guidance here: Copilot image generation
Inform your users about the generative AI features in the Create experience: Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot Create
Consider updating internal documentation or training materials to reflect this change.

Compliance considerations

Introduces or modifies AI/ML capabilities	Enables generative AI image creation and editing for unlicensed users, expanding access to AI tools that interact with user-generated content.
Provides new way of interacting with generative AI	Users without a Copilot license can now use Create to generate and edit visual content using AI.
Includes an admin control	Image generation can be disabled by tenant admins, which hides related features for all users.
Can be controlled through Entra ID group membership	Admins can manage access to Create features via Entra ID group membership settings.

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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      "Summary": "Microsoft 365 Copilot\u0027s Create module now offers generative AI image and visual content creation to all Copilot Chat users without a license, with standard access and existing admin controls applying. Video, survey, and brand kit features remain restricted. Rollout began mid-August for desktop, with mobile following in October 2025."
    },
    "id": "MC1136035",
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    "last_modified": "2025-08-15T22:45:30Z",
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    "severity": "normal",
    "tags": [
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    "title": "Gen AI capabilities in the Create module of Microsoft 365 Copilot app coming to all Copilot Chat users"
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