Microsoft has expanded its Copilot AI assistant into two more Office apps this week, bringing a new chat-based experience to Microsoft Forms and enhanced editing capabilities to Word for iPad. The update, targeting commercial Microsoft 365 subscribers with Copilot licenses, marks another step in the company's aggressive push to embed generative AI across its productivity suite.

What's New in Forms and Word for iPad

The headliner is Microsoft Forms, which now integrates a Copilot chat panel directly into the web app. Users can prompt the AI to draft survey questions, modify themes, or suggest response options using natural language. For example, typing "Create a 5-question employee feedback survey with a mix of multiple-choice and open-ended questions" generates a complete, editable form in seconds. The chat interface also allows iterative refinement—you can ask Copilot to make questions more concise, reorder sections, or adjust the tone to be more formal.

On the iPad front, Word gains a dedicated Copilot button in the toolbar, unlocking the same AI-powered document editing tools previously available on desktop and web. Tapping it opens a sidebar where you can highlight text and issue commands like "Rewrite this paragraph to sound more professional," "Summarize this section in three bullet points," or "Translate this into Spanish." The feature works in real time, and you can cycle through multiple suggestions with a single tap. This brings the iPad version closer to feature parity with its desktop counterpart, addressing a long-standing gap for on-the-go professionals.

How This Changes Your Workflow

For enterprise users, the Forms Copilot chat drastically cuts the time needed to create polls, quizzes, and feedback forms. Instead of manually dragging and dropping fields, you can describe what you need in plain English and get a ready-to-use template. This is particularly handy for HR departments rolling out pulse surveys, educators designing quick quizzes, or event organizers collecting RSVPs. The chat memory also retains context, so you can follow up with requests like "Add a required contact info section" without starting from scratch.

IT admins will appreciate that these features are governed by existing Microsoft 365 Copilot policies, meaning data handling complies with the same enterprise-grade security and privacy standards. However, they should note that the rollout is phased; not all tenants may see the new Copilot entry points immediately. Users may need to refresh their browser or sign out and back in to Forms to trigger the update.

For iPad-toting professionals, Word's Copilot integration turns the tablet into a more viable editing tool. Previously, heavy formatting or rewriting often required switching to a laptop. Now, you can fine-tune a proposal, polish a report, or distill meeting notes while commuting, all without leaving the app. The summarize feature is especially useful for quickly grasping long documents before a meeting. And because the iPad app syncs seamlessly with OneDrive, edits appear instantly on other devices.

Developers and power users can leverage the Copilot in Forms to build complex branching logic or calculation-based forms by describing the logic in the chat. This reduces reliance on Excel-based back-ends for simple form automation.

The Road to AI-Powered Office Apps

Microsoft's Copilot strategy for Office 365 kicked off in early 2023 with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Since then, the company has methodically added AI features to more apps: OneNote got Copilot-based note-taking, Teams integrated meeting summaries, and Loop introduced collaborative AI editing. Forms was a notable holdout—likely because it's a simpler, often overlooked tool. But with surveys and data collection becoming critical for hybrid work, it makes sense to inject AI there.

The Word for iPad update is part of a broader effort to unify the Copilot experience across platforms. Microsoft first brought AI editing to Word on the web, then Windows and Mac, and most recently to Android. iPad users, often in enterprise due to the device's popularity in creative and executive roles, were waiting in line. The feature set aligns with what's offered in the desktop version, though some advanced capabilities like document summarization via right-click menu remain exclusive to larger screens for now.

Competitively, Google Workspace has been adding similar AI features to Forms via Duet AI, and Apple's Pages offers no native AI writing assistance, giving Microsoft a distinct edge on iPad. This rollout cements Copilot as a cross-app, cross-platform assistant—not just a desktop gimmick.

Getting Started with the New Features

To use Copilot in Forms, you need an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license (the $30-per-user add-on) or a Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscription. The feature is rolling out to commercial tenants worldwide, so if you don't see it yet, check back in a few days. Here's a quick checklist:

  • Make sure you're signed into the Forms web app (forms.office.com) with your work or school account.
  • Open an existing form or create a new one; the Copilot chat icon should appear on the right sidebar.
  • If it's missing, refresh the page or clear your browser cache.
  • Note: Copilot in Forms respects any data residency and compliance settings your administrator has configured.

For Word on iPad:
- Update the app to the latest version via the App Store (version 2.75 or later, based on Microsoft's release notes).
- Open any document and look for the Copilot icon in the top toolbar (a starburst or ribbon icon).
- Tap it and start typing or speaking your prompt. You can also highlight text first to apply actions to specific sections.
- If the icon is grayed out, verify your license assignment in the Microsoft 365 admin center or sign out and back in.

Admins should confirm that the Copilot service plan is enabled for users in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Billing > Licenses. The features are on by default but can be disabled via the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center if needed.

What to Watch For

The Forms Copilot chat is currently limited to English prompts, but Microsoft typically expands language support within a few months. Expect deeper integration with Excel for response analysis—imagine asking Copilot to "generate a pivot table from these survey results"—and possibly a Copilot-based quiz autograder for educators. On the iPad, watch for more desktop-class features like the ability to reference other files (e.g., "rewrite this using data from that Excel sheet") as the platform's Copilot matures. And while these updates are commercial-only for now, Microsoft historically trickles AI features down to consumer subscriptions over time, so keep an eye on your personal Microsoft 365 plan.