Microsoft Copilot's Legal Challenge

Hi everyone,

Microsoft is working through a bit of a rough patch over some pricing missteps with their Copilot plans. With refunds rolling out for subscribers due to this mishap, it's a stark reminder of the importance of clear communication.

Meanwhile, Meta's fresh guidelines for AI usage are certainly setting some interesting expectations among staff. 

As always, check out our partners Wing, SynthFlow, MorningBrew

Let's get right into it.

In this issue:

• 🤝 In Partnership: Reclaim your week with Wing

• 🤿Deep Dive: Microsoft faces ACCC over Copilot pricing

• 🤝 Powered by: Answer calls automatically

• 🖼️AI Art: Examples of great and trending AI art

• 🤝 Supported by: Stay your day informed

• 🤿Deep Dive: Meta sets AI expectations for staff

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🤿 DEEP DIVE

Microsoft and ACCC in Australia Over AI Copilot Pricing and Refunds

Intelligence: Microsoft Australia is offering refunds to millions of Microsoft 365 subscribers after the ACCC filed a lawsuit over unclear pricing and limited visibility of non-AI plans.

• The lawsuit alleges that around 2.7 million subscribers were misled about pricing and the availability of cheaper plans without AI features.

• Microsoft emailed Personal and Family users with updated pricing: $16 and $18 per month for Copilot plans and $11 and $14 for classic plans without AI, admitting the original communication lacked clarity.

• Subscribers who switch to cheaper plans by the end of 2025 will receive refunds for the difference, backdated to payments made after November 30, 2024.

• Microsoft acknowledged it should have clearly communicated the non-AI option, rather than only informing users who tried to cancel

• Potential financial penalties include multimillion-dollar refunds and up to $50 million or three times the value of the conduct, or 30 percent of adjusted turnover if the ACCC wins.

• ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said customers were denied informed choices because cheaper plans were only revealed during cancellation attempts.

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🖼️ AI ART

Examples of great and trending AI art

🤝SUPPORTED BY MORNING BREW

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🤿 DEEP DIVE

Mark Zuckerberg and Meta on AI-Driven Employee Performance

Intelligence: Meta will begin tying employee performance to AI impact in 2025, making it a core expectation by 2026, and will introduce new tools to support AI use in reviews.

• Employees will be assessed on how they use AI to deliver results and build productivity tools, with AI-driven impact becoming a formal expectation in 2026.

• In 2025, AI usage metrics will not be scored, but workers are encouraged to highlight AI-powered wins in self-reviews, and Meta will reward exceptional impact.

• Meta is launching an AI Performance Assistant for the review cycle starting December 8, and employees can use Metamate or Google’s Gemini to draft performance content.

• The shift reflects a broader AI-native push across Big Tech, with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon telling employees that AI use is no longer optional.

• Meta has already promoted adoption by allowing AI use in coding interviews and launching an internal game called Level Up to incentivize engagement.

• A Meta spokesperson said using AI in daily work is a priority, reinforcing the company’s move to embed AI across the workflow.

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