The City of London council is embarking on a trial of Microsoft Copilot AI software, a move that could incur an annual cost of up to £200,000 for volunteer members.

The Member Development and Standards Sub Committee discussed the significant expense during a meeting on Thursday, 15 October 2026, as part of a pilot scheme. The council has acquired 2,470 licenses for Microsoft Copilot Premium, at a cost of £7 per month per user, projecting an annual expenditure exceeding £200,000.

Deputy Caroline Haines voiced concerns regarding the approval process for these licenses and stressed the importance of a thorough pilot phase. My concern was, I know that we have the licences. So the argument is, why don't we just use it? But also, I think we need to do the pilot first so people can we can understand if it's needed, because actually having all these licences, we might decide, no, we don't want it, she stated.

The pilot program is designed to test Copilot's enhanced functionality, aiming to support members in reviewing and understanding committee papers. The council hopes to achieve improved efficiency and effectiveness, with the ambition for Copilot to boost productivity, save time, and assist members in working with information across Microsoft 365. The Digital Services team's narrative suggests an aim to deliver more work for less by improving opportunity costs and efficiencies.

Key functionalities being tested include Copilot's ability to support everyday tasks, provide useful prompts, and assist with information management. The potential for the AI to be used for Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and other data access was also a significant point of discussion. Members are being reminded that Copilot functions as a City Corporation search-like AI and should be used appropriately, with an awareness that its usage may be subject to FOI requests.

Ashlee Barnard, Head of Digital Solutions, had previously delivered a session on Microsoft Copilot: Tips and General Use 101 on 23 July 2026, attended by 13 members. This session provided a practical introduction to the software, demonstrating how it could support everyday tasks across Microsoft 365.

Training sessions for the pilot were scheduled for October, with attendance being a prerequisite for receiving a Copilot license. The committee discussed the possibility of contacting the Chairman of the Digital Services Committee for further information regarding the licensing and review process.

Ethical considerations and appropriate usage guidelines are being developed to mitigate risks associated with AI. Members need to be well-briefed on these aspects, as the use of AI carries ethical and risk exposure for the organization. Safeguards are being put in place to ensure compliant usage and to prevent contradictions with other organizational objectives, such as the climate action strategy.

The success of the pilot program will be evaluated based on user experience, identified benefits and limitations, and lessons learned. Specific criteria include how the tool is used, the quality of outputs, and the time commitment required from participants. This assessment will ultimately help determine if Copilot is necessary and if the purchased licenses are justified.

If licenses are not utilized after six months, they will be re-purposed. The exact destination for these repurposed licenses was not explicitly stated, but it is implied they would be allocated to other parts of the organization. The pilot is described as time-limited, with a decision on a wider rollout to the full Court membership to be made after the assessment of its necessity and effectiveness.

Further details on the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.