OpenAI recently released GPT-5, and Microsoft has made it the new brain behind Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio.
GPT-5 delivers stronger multi-step reasoning and more efficient outputs – so Copilot can switch between quick answers and deeper analysis when tasks demand it. It marks a huge leap in intelligence, making it even more powerful in solving complex business challenges.
For professional services firms, this combination matters. GPT-5’s improvements on complex knowledge means better research, faster draft generation and smarter summaries. It’s an even better way to amplify your teams’ capabilities, and free up time for more high-value work.
What Is GPT-5?
GPT-5 is the most advanced AI model from OpenAI, and the new engine driving Microsoft 365 Copilot. What makes it different is: 1) its speed and 2) how intelligently it can adapt to your tasks.
GPT-5 operates as a dual-model system, with two complementary “brains”. That is:
- a fast model that delivers quick, conversational responses for simple queries
- a deep reasoning model that takes a more thoughtful, analytical approach when a task calls for it.
Using a smart router, Copilot can automatically choose the right model for the job – much like how people decide when to act instinctively or when to slow down and think things through.
For example, if you ask Copilot to pull together client correspondence or summarise meeting notes, it responds almost instantly. But if you ask it to evaluate project proposals or compare financial forecasts, GPT-5’s reasoning model steps in, analysing context from across your Microsoft 365 environment (documents, emails, chats) to produce considered, evidence-based answers.
This human-like flexibility means GPT-5 can shift gears seamlessly between everyday prompts and complex problem-solving, better enabling your business to work quickly, without sacrificing strategy.
How GPT-5 is Different from Previous Models
GPT-5 builds on its predecessor with improvements that make Microsoft 365 Copilot more intuitive, adaptive, accurate and responsive to how you work.
1. Smarter Task Routing
GPT-5 introduces advanced task routing, allowing Copilot to instantly determine whether a request needs a quick summary or deep analysis. This means less waiting and more relevant results for things like drafting emails, analysing client feedback or modelling new proposals.
2. Deeper Context Awareness
With a stronger grasp of context across your emails, documents, meetings and chats, GPT-5 can connect the dots between information sources.
It can understand how details relate and can use these insights to produce more cohesive, business-ready responses – ideal for professional services environments where accuracy and nuance matter.
3. Stronger Logic and Multi-Step Reasoning
In Copilot Studio, GPT-5 delivers improved logic and multi-step reasoning. It can follow more complex workflows and apply deeper analysis for tasks that previously required human oversight, making it easier to leverage Copilot for real business processes.
4. Adaptive “Smart Mode”
GPT-5’s Smart mode can automatically adjust how Copilot works based on your activity.
For instance, if you’re looking for a fast recap before a meeting, it prioritises speed. Or if you’re working on a strategic plan, it can lean into deeper reasoning.
This adaptability offers a more natural, efficient experience across every day and complex tasks.
Benefits for Professional Services Businesses
For professional services firms, GPT-5 makes Copilot smarter and more strategic. The model’s new reasoning, automation and integration capabilities can enable your teams to focus more on client value and less on routine admin.
1. Automate Time-Consuming Work
GPT-5 streamlines day-to-day tasks like report writing, meeting summaries and document analysis. Copilot can extract key points from client files, draft engagement letters and prepare post-meeting notes automatically.
2. Strengthen Strategic Decision-Making
With improved context awareness and data interpretation, GPT-5 supports deeper insights.
Your firm, for instance, can use Copilot to compare financial projections, or interpret client trends and other datasets, to turn fragmented information into clear recommendations. This can enable you to make faster, more confident decisions.
3. Build Custom AI Agents
Through Copilot Studio, professional service teams can create custom GPT-5-powered agents tailored to your workflows. For example, onboarding new clients, automating compliance checks and handling client communication.
These agents can understand industry-specific terminology and processes to deliver accurate, consistent results.
4. Boost Productivity Across Teams
By automating routine tasks and reducing the need to switch between apps or hunt for information, GPT-5 can help your team work more efficiently across Microsoft 365. That means less time needed for searching, drafting, formatting or summarising, and more time for focusing on client outcomes and strategic growth.
Turn AI Potential into Practice
GPT-5 represents a shift toward more strategic, adaptive AI in the workplace. For professional service firms, it represents tangible advantages – automating repetitive work, unlocking deeper insights, enhancing collaboration and improving decision making.
Adopting GPT-5 in Microsoft 365 Copilot can enable you and your teams to work faster, smarter and deliver more value to clients.
Start transforming your firm’s workflows, using GPT-5 for everyday productivity and high-impact decision making, and position your business at the forefront of AI-powered professional services.
Ready to see what GPT-5 can do for your business? Inspired IT’s Office 365 services can help you unlock its full potential across your Microsoft environment.
