Publish date: 10.10.25

Artificial intelligence has moved from hype to reality. Tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini are already shaping daily workflows, whether IT departments officially endorse them or not. Staff are experimenting with AI in Outlook, Gmail, or even their browsers, while vendors like HP are bundling assistants directly into devices.

The Shift for IT Leaders

For IT leaders, the question has shifted. It is no longer about whether to use AI, but which combination of AI assistants will deliver the right balance of productivity, compliance, ecosystem fit, and cost.

Key Players and Costs

Here is how the leading AI assistants compare in terms of availability and pricing (UK £, per user/month):

ToolTier / NotesApprox. Cost
Microsoft CopilotPro / M365 Copilot£16–£24
HP AI CompanionIncluded with HP AI PCsFree
ChatGPTFree / Plus / Teams / Pro£0–£160
Google GeminiFree / Advanced / Ultra / Enterprise£0–£200
Anthropic ClaudeFree / Pro / Enterprise£0–£16+
Perplexity AIFree / Pro£0–£16
Amazon QBusiness / Developer£16–£20
IBM watsonxEnterpriseCustom
Meta / MistralOpen-source modelsFree + hosting costs

Typical Pro tiers: £16–£24 per user/month.
Premium tiers (ChatGPT Pro, Gemini Ultra): £160–£200 per user/month.
HP AI Companion: Bundled free with eligible HP hardware.

The Big Four

The four most visible players right now are Microsoft Copilot, HP AI Companion, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini.

Microsoft Copilot integrates into Office apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint. Enterprise-grade security and familiarity make it strong for Office workflows, though licensing adds up at £16–£24 per user/month.

HP AI Companion bundles on-device AI with cloud support for tasks like summarisation and content creation. It enhances privacy and offline capability but is limited to HP hardware.

ChatGPT is widely used for brainstorming, coding, report summarisation, and research queries. Pricing ranges from free to £160 per month for Pro, requiring careful governance and budget planning.

Google Gemini integrates with Google Workspace, supports multimodal inputs, and has long-context capabilities. Entry tiers are free; top plans range from £95 to £200. Suitable for legal, research, and compliance-heavy work, though error rates may be higher.

Emerging Alternatives
  • Claude (Anthropic): Safer interactions, transparency, long context windows; popular in finance and legal sectors; £0–£16/month.
  • Perplexity AI: Conversational search engine returning real-time, cited answers; Pro subscription ~£16/month.
  • Amazon Q: For AWS customers; £16–£20/month.
  • IBM watsonx Assistant: Enterprise governance focus; pricing bespoke.
  • Meta / Mistral: Open-source, flexible, requires in-house hosting/expertise.
Strategic Takeaways for IT Leaders
  • Ecosystem fit: Copilot for Microsoft, Gemini for Google Workspace, Amazon Q for AWS, open-source for in-house.
  • Compliance & governance: Claude, Perplexity, IBM watsonx designed for regulated industries.
  • Budget planning: Most Pro tiers £16–£24; premium tiers require careful cost justification.
  • Hybrid adoption: Mixing tools works best (e.g., Copilot for workflows, ChatGPT for ideation, Perplexity for validation, HP Companion for local tasks, Claude for compliance).
Final Word

No single AI assistant meets every enterprise need. UK IT leaders will maximise ROI by adopting a hybrid mix that balances system integration, compliance, cost control, and flexibility — reducing risk while enhancing productivity.