Tool updates register · November 2026

What changed in your AI tools, and what to do about it.

Every month we read the release notes so you do not have to. We only list changes with a date, a cost or something you need to do, and link every one to its source.

This month’s issues

CopilotNo. 1

One Home, skills for everyone, and Cowork grows up

11 updates · 4 to do

GeminiNo. 1

Gems are on the way out, and skills are taking over

5 updates · 4 to do

ClaudeNo. 1

Cheaper models, Cowork in every chat, and credits to claim

7 updates · 2 to do

ChatGPTNo. 1

Custom GPTs retire, and the usage rules change

7 updates · 5 to do

Other toolsNo. 1

AI reaches the accounts, the agents and the phones

24 updates · 9 to do

Microsoft 365 Copilot · November 2026 recap · published 5 November 2026Read the full November 2026 issue →

If you only have 2 minutes

  1. 1Chat and Cowork move into one Home in the Copilot app this month. Tell your team before it changes.
  2. 2Anyone can now build a skill in plain language. Decide who creates and shares them.
  3. 3Cowork can act, not just answer. Data loss prevention now covers it, in preview.
  4. 4Cowork tasks run on Copilot Credits, so more hand-offs means a bigger bill.

Checklist

Do now

  • Tell your team the Copilot app Home is changing in November
  • Agree who can create and share skills, and how they get checked
  • Check your data loss prevention policies include Cowork
  • Set retention rules for Copilot memory

When you have time

  • Choose which Cowork plugins to allow for each team
  • Try the Excel accounting and clean data skills with your finance team
  • Watch Autopilot as it reaches Frontier

Every change

7 updates, in order of what matters.

Rolling outEveryone with Copilot

One Home for Chat and Cowork

Frontier in October, worldwide in November

The Copilot app brings Chat and Cowork together in one Home, with a shared pane for agents, skills and connectors.

Why it matters

The screen your team opens every day is changing. People who are not told tend to think something has broken.

Tell your team: Tell your team before it arrives

Source
Rolling outEveryone with Copilot

Skills in Copilot Chat, built in plain language

November

Skills move from Cowork into Copilot Chat, and people can create their own by describing them in plain language.

Why it matters

A skill is a set of instructions everyone reuses. A good one saves hours; a bad one spreads the same mistake across the team.

Action needed: Decide who creates and shares skills

Source
AvailableWhoever pays for Copilot

Cowork runs on Copilot Credits

Since 16 June 2026

Cowork tasks are billed in Copilot Credits on top of the Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, priced on the model, the context, the tool calls and the runtime.

Why it matters

As more of the October features hand work to Cowork, usage grows, and so does the bill.

Action needed: Set up a way to see usage before it grows

Source
PreviewIT admins

Data loss prevention now covers Cowork

Public preview from October

Microsoft Purview data loss prevention policies extend to Cowork, and you can now set retention for Copilot memory.

Why it matters

Cowork drafts, files and sends on someone’s behalf. The same rules that protect email should protect it.

Action needed: Check your policies cover Cowork and memory

Source
Rolling outCowork users

Role plugins, plus OneNote and Planner, in Cowork

October; OneNote and Planner worldwide in November

Cowork gets role-based plugins for Sales, Service, Education, Legal and Finance, plugins for OneNote and Planner, and a catalogue of tasks it can do.

Why it matters

More plugins means Cowork can reach more of your work. Worth deciding what each team actually needs.

Tell your team: Choose which plugins each team gets

Source
Rolling outEveryone with Copilot

Projects come to Copilot Chat

Cowork in October, Chat in November

Projects keep chats, tasks, instructions and context together in one place.

Why it matters

Useful for ongoing work like a client or a tender, so people stop re-explaining the background.

Nothing to do yet: Nothing to do; show people when it arrives

Source
PreviewFrontier programme only

Autopilot, an always-on personal agent

Frontier from November

Microsoft describes Autopilot as an always-on, cloud-based personal agent.

Why it matters

Early days and Frontier only, but it signals where Copilot is going: agents that keep working when you are not.

Nothing to do yet: Nothing to do yet; we are watching it

Source

Coming up

  1. November 2026 · Microsoft 365 Copilot

    Copilot Home, skills and Projects reach everyone

  2. January 2027 · Microsoft 365 Copilot

    Create and edit Office files in Copilot Workspaces, worldwide

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