All BSU staff, faculty, and students have access to Microsoft Copilot Chat's most advanced AI models (the GPT-5 family), the same models people usually have to pay for on other platforms.
There are two levels of access:
Standard access (what everyone gets automatically): You get the full lineup of models, but during busy times, the system might slow down or temporarily switch you to a different model to keep things running smoothly. Copilot will tell you if this happens, and it won't cut off a task you've already started.
Premium access: Skips those slowdowns entirely, even during peak demand. If you're a BSU employee, then your department may purchase this for you; details are in ALL EMPLOYEES: How do I obtain a copy of the Copilot for M365 (Office) Premium add-on License?
A practical example: It's the week before finals, and hundreds of faculty and staff are all using Copilot at once to write exam questions or grade feedback. With standard access, you may notice things running a bit slower, or Copilot might use a slightly less powerful model to provide you with faster responses. With premium access, you wouldn't notice a difference at all.
Your access level can be seen in the bottom left hand corner, where "Copilot Chat (Basic)" or "Microsoft 365 Copilot (Basic)" both mean you have Standard access, and "Microsoft 365 Copilot" means you have priority access.
Access ChatGPT GPT-5 family of models through Copilot using these instructions:
Step 1: Open an internet browser (e.g., Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge)
Step 2: Go to https://copilot.microsoft.com
Step 3: Click the Sign in button in the upper right corner.
Step 4: Select the Continue with Microsoft option.
Log into BSU using your BSU credentials.
Step 5: Select the Work experience.
Step 6: Click Start a New Chat
Step 7: Select the GPT model of your choice.
a. Click the Auto drop down menu
b. Select either GPT 5.6 Quick Response or GPT 5.6 Think Deeper depending on the complexity of the task and information you’re seeking. Think Deeper will take longer to answer but is more thorough and adept with more complex content.
To clarify, GPT-5.6 is the currently preferred model in Microsoft 365 Copilot. Microsoft does not publish which OpenAI GPT-5.6 variant sits behind each label, and does not have published per-user prompt caps.