OpenAI goes after Microsoft 365 Copilot's lunch with 'company knowledge' feature

ChatGPT can now rummage through corporate files via connectors, though Redmond still has the deeper hooks

Updated OpenAI is chalenging Microsoft 365 Copilot with "company knowledge," a new ChatGPT feature that connects to organizational data to generate business-specific answers.

Now available for ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu, company knowledge integrates with apps like Slack, SharePoint, Google Drive, Teams, and Outlook. Notably absent: OneDrive, which could present an issue for some organizations.

Users authenticate each connector individually, meaning ChatGPT (powered by GPT-5) only accesses data it is authorized to see. OpenAI says it's all encrypted and won't be used for training. Administrators can review conversation logs through the Enterprise Compliance API⁠⁠ (opens in a new window) for reporting and regulatory purposes.

The Register asked OpenAI where data might end up and where it would be processed, but it just sent us a copy of the announcement by way of response. Data residency support varies by connector, so organizations should verify details before deployment.

Company knowledge is a shot across the bow of Microsoft 365 Copilot, which has struggled to gain traction despite some positive productivity studies — others show neutral or negative results, depending on your perspective.

However, OpenAI's corporate push has limitations. Unlike Microsoft's deeply integrated "Copilot All The Things" approach, ChatGPT's company knowledge mode must be manually selected for each conversation and can't search the web, create images, or generate graphs. Users must toggle it off to access those features.

When disabled, ChatGPT might still use the connectors to answer questions, "but its responses won't include the same depth or detailed citations." OpenAI said: "We're working to bring these experiences together in the coming months."

ChatGPT Business is available at $25 per user per month (on an annual plan) versus Microsoft 365 Copilot's $30 monthly fee. Combined with stronger brand recognition, this potentially positions ChatGPT as an attractive alternative for enterprises exploring AI assistants. ®

Updated to add at 1415 UTC, October 27

An OpenAI spokesperson got in touch with some more information about data residency and connectors.

A lot depends on the connector type. For synced connectors, the synced search index is stored in OpenAI's US Azure datacenters. If an admin disconnects the connector, the index is immediately inaccessible, but it'll take up to 30 days for the underlying data to be deleted.

With non-synced connectors, OpenAI said: "Chat and deep research connectors are compatible with data residency, but it's important to note that connected applications are third-party services, and data sent to a connected application is subject to that application's own data residency policies."

As for Europe, if data residency is set for the region, OpenAI will restrict storage until the queries and prompts go off to a connected application. The company reiterated the importance of ensuring any connected applications adhere to customer data residency requirements.