Introducing Fabric Copilot capacity: Democratizing AI usage in Microsoft Fabric
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Fabric Copilot capacity, a new billing feature designed to enhance your experience with Microsoft Fabric. This new capability allows you to leverage the full potential of AI in your organization by simplifying the ability to enable access to Copilot within Fabric.
What is a Fabric Copilot capacity?
Today, when using Copilot, a Power BI report or semantic model must be saved in a Premium capacity (P1 or higher/F64 or higher) workspace in order to access Copilot. For many users, their Power BI content is stored in a mix of workspaces, some Premium and some Pro, making it unpredictable when an end user will have access to Copilot.
With Fabric Copilot capacities (referred to as FCCs in this blog), capacity admins can give Copilot access to end users directly, rather than requiring creators to move their content into a specific workspace or link a specific capacity. End users will be able to use Copilot with all the content they consume.
Assigning a P1/F64 or higher capacity as an FCC for a set of users ensures all their Copilot usage is charged to this capacity, simplifying access and usage without moving content to a larger capacity.
Users assigned to an FCC can utilize Copilot in these scenarios:
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- Power BI reports on (1) a Pro workspace or (2) a Fabric workspace smaller than F64.
- Fabric Copilot scenarios on a Fabric workspace smaller than F64.
Key features and benefits
- Improved Access to Copilot: Fabric Copilot capacity (FCC) enables Copilot usage for users who do not have access to an eligible Fabric Capacity. This is particularly beneficial for Pro users working in Pro workspaces and PBI Desktop users. Additionally, users of Fabric Copilot on capacities smaller than an F64 can utilize its features provided they have an assigned FCC.
- Simplified Setup: Setting up an FCC is straightforward – (i) a user purchases a Fabric Capacity and becomes its capacity admin. (ii) The organization’s Fabric admin then adds the user to a trusted list of FCC admins. This step allows Fabric admins to manage the authorized list of FCC admins and mentioned in (4) below. (iii) The capacity admin then designates the capacity as an FCC and adds specific user groups or the entire organization to use for their Copilot or AI Skills consumption.
- Consolidated Copilot Spend: With an FCC, an organization can consolidate all their copilot usage in a single or few capacities without requiring a minimum Fabric Capacity size for new projects if they want to use copilot.
- Data Protection: We understand the importance of data privacy and security. FCC includes measures to protect user data by limiting the ability to assign FCC to a key set of vetted administrators – all controlled by your organization’s Fabric administrator. This ensures that while capacity admins can monitor usage, sensitive information remains protected.
How to set up Fabric Copilot capacity
Setting up FCC is designed to be user-friendly and efficient.
Step-by-step guide:
- Purchase a Fabric Capacity: Start by purchasing a Fabric Capacity and becoming its capacity admin.
- Enable capacity admins as FCC admins: The Fabric administrator can enable FCC for the organization by enabling specific user groups or the entire organization.
Designate the capacity as FCC
As a capacity admin, designate the purchased capacity as a Fabric Copilot capacity and add specific users, user groups or the entire organization to the FCC to enable them to use it for their Copilot consumption.
In conclusion
Fabric Copilot capacity is a significant step forward in making AI and Copilot more accessible and user-friendly. By addressing key challenges, protecting user data, and simplifying the setup process, FCC ensures that you can fully leverage the power of AI in Microsoft Fabric. We are excited to see how this new feature will enhance your productivity and drive innovation in your organization.
Fabric Copilot capacity will be available starting late January and will need to be enabled by your organization’s Fabric admin. Stay tuned for more updates and detailed guides on how to make the most of Fabric Copilot capacity. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team.
Fabric Copilot capacity frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What is Fabric Copilot capacity (FCC)?
Fabric Copilot capacity (FCC) is a feature that allows users to utilize Copilot even if their Power BI reports are not on a P1/F64 capacity. By designating a capacity as an FCC, capacity admins can ensure that all Copilot consumption is billed to this capacity, making it easier for users to access and use Copilot without the need for specific capacity assignments.FCC also consolidates all Copilot usage across Fabric for a user, which means that if they are using Copilot for Power BI or Copilot for Fabric Spark or Copilot for Fabric Datawarehouse, all their usage will be billed to the FCC. In addition to Copilot, FCC also consolidates AI Skills billing for designated users. - Who can set up a Fabric Copilot capacity?
Only those admins who have been approved by the Fabric administrator to set up a Fabric Copilot capacity can designate their capacity as an FCC. They need to assign users by security group to the capacity so that they can use it for copilot billing. - Does FCC have any size / SKU restrictions?
Only a P1 / F64 or greater SKU capacity can be an FCC. - Can I use Copilot on a Pro / PPU Workspace if I have an FCC assigned?
Our initial launch will support Power BI Pro workspaces. Premium Per User (PPU) will be supported soon as well. As of now, we do not plan to support A / EM workspaces. - Can users be associated with multiple Fabric Copilot capacities?
Yes, users can be associated with multiple FCCs. The newest capacity that is assigned is always the default. - How does FCC protect my data?
Remember, data is always processed in the region where you are using copilot, and this does not change with FCC. Usage/billing records which contain the metadata of the Fabric items/workspaces are available to the capacity administrator of the FCC and by allowing only authorized users to designate FCC, we have delegated control to the Fabric admin. - What happens if my FCC is throttled?
If your FCC is throttled, you will see the capacity information in the error messages in the Fabric portal. You can contact the capacity admin for this capacity. This ensures that you can manage your Copilot usage efficiently and avoid any disruptions due to capacity limitations. - Are there any limitations to using FCC?
Yes, the initial release of FCC supports only one default capacity per user, and all consumption will be redirected to this default. Additionally, FCC is only supported in the tenant home region. - How is Copilot usage charged with FCC?
All Copilot usage is charged to the designated FCC. If a user has an FCC defined, all their Copilot usage is charged to their FCC, ensuring seamless access and usage. - Can I use other Fabric workloads on an FCC or is it restricted to Copilot?
Your FCC can continue to be used for all other Fabric workloads including Power BI. - What should I do if I encounter issues with my FCC?
If you encounter any issues with your FCC, such as throttling or capacity health concerns, you should contact your FCC capacity admin. They can manage the health of the capacity and make necessary adjustments.
