All blog posts

Cassidy vs Microsoft Copilot: AI Automation vs Microsoft 365 Assistant

Index

Cassidy and Microsoft 365 Copilot both bring AI assistance to the workplace, but they differ significantly in scope and approach. Cassidy is an AI-native automation platform designed to integrate AI into diverse workflows across an entire business, while Microsoft 365 Copilot functions as an assistant within Microsoft’s suite of apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).

While Copilot is useful for enhancing productivity within Microsoft tools, Cassidy goes further by enabling cross-platform workflows, providing AI model flexibility, and offering enterprise-level support. Below is a comparison of how Cassidy and Microsoft Copilot stack up across key areas:

Feature Cassidy Microsoft Copilot
AI Flexibility ✅ Supports multiple AI models (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini) ❌ Locked to Microsoft’s OpenAI model
Workflows & Automation ✅ No-code AI-driven workflows spanning multiple tools ❌ In-app assistance only, no cross-platform automation
Integration Scope ✅ Connects with 100+ tools, including Slack, CRMs, and ticketing systems ❌ Primarily for Microsoft 365 apps, limited third-party integrations
Enterprise Scalability ✅ Organization-wide AI deployment and admin control ❌ Designed for individual users within Microsoft apps
Onboarding & Implementation ✅ Dedicated support, training, and white-glove onboarding ❌ Self-service setup, minimal implementation support

AI Flexibility: Multiple Models vs. Single Model

Cassidy offers extensive AI flexibility. It supports multiple AI models, including OpenAI’s GPT-4, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude. This allows organizations to choose the best AI for different tasks and future-proof their automation as better models emerge.

Microsoft Copilot, on the other hand, is locked into Microsoft’s chosen OpenAI model. Users have no control over the AI provider and must rely solely on the models Microsoft decides to deploy. This lack of flexibility can limit performance in specific use cases where another model might be a better fit.

Workflows & Automation: Multi-Step vs. In-App Only

Cassidy enables true end-to-end AI-powered workflows across multiple tools and steps. Its no-code workflow builder lets users create AI-driven automations that take action across apps, process data, and even trigger real-time alerts. For example, Cassidy can read an incoming email, analyze its content, update a CRM, and notify the right person in Slack—all in one seamless process.

Microsoft Copilot, however, is limited to acting within individual Microsoft 365 apps. It assists with tasks like writing emails in Outlook or summarizing documents in Word but does not offer full automation across tools. Microsoft’s Copilot Studio allows for some custom Copilot assistants, but these are largely confined to Microsoft’s ecosystem and require developer setup.

Integration Scope: Diverse Tools vs. Microsoft-Only

Cassidy connects with over 100+ third-party applications, including CRMs, ticketing systems, knowledge bases, and communication platforms like Slack and Teams. It integrates deeply with both Microsoft and non-Microsoft tools, ensuring seamless automation across an organization’s full tech stack.

Microsoft Copilot, by contrast, is designed primarily for Microsoft 365 users. It works well within the Microsoft suite but has limited or no native integration with third-party tools like Slack, Google Drive, or external CRMs. This lack of connectivity makes it difficult to implement AI-driven workflows outside of Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Enterprise Scalability: Organization-Wide vs. Individual Use

Cassidy is built for enterprise-wide deployment, allowing teams to create AI assistants and workflows that span across departments. Its centralized Knowledge Base ensures that AI-powered automations pull from company-wide data, maintaining accuracy and consistency. Admins can manage access, enforce security policies, and customize AI responses for different teams.

Microsoft Copilot is primarily a personal assistant within Microsoft apps, meaning it functions on a per-user basis rather than being centrally managed for an organization. Any attempt to extend its capabilities across teams would require significant developer effort and remain constrained within the Microsoft environment.

Onboarding & Implementation: Hands-On vs. Self-Service

Successfully implementing AI tools in an enterprise requires more than just software—it requires expert guidance, training, and ongoing support to ensure adoption and success. Cassidy provides a white-glove onboarding experience, working directly with each organization to build, customize, and integrate AI solutions effectively.

When you adopt Cassidy, you get:

  • A Dedicated Account Manager – Your team is assigned a Cassidy AI expert who helps design AI assistants and workflows tailored to your business needs. This ensures your AI solutions align with your processes and deliver real impact from day one.
  • Team Training Sessions – Cassidy provides hands-on training to help teams in sales, marketing, support, and operations seamlessly integrate AI into their workflows. This ensures that AI adoption happens smoothly across departments, not just in isolated pockets.
  • Weekly Office Hours – Cassidy hosts live Q&A sessions where customers can get expert advice, troubleshoot challenges, and explore new use cases for AI within their business.
  • Private Slack Support – A direct line of communication with Cassidy’s team, allowing customers to ask questions, request features, and receive real-time assistance whenever they need it.

This high-touch support model ensures that organizations don’t just buy AI tools—they successfully implement them and maximize their value.

By contrast, Microsoft Copilot follows a self-service onboarding approach. While Microsoft provides documentation, FAQs, and standard admin guides, there is no dedicated onboarding or personalized implementation support. If an organization needs additional guidance, they may have to work with third-party Microsoft partners at an extra cost. This means that adoption relies heavily on internal IT teams to configure Copilot and train users, which can slow down AI implementation—especially for enterprises looking to scale AI across departments.

Final Thoughts: Why Cassidy Stands Out

Microsoft 365 Copilot is a useful personal productivity tool within the Microsoft suite, helping with writing, summarizing, and task management inside apps like Word and Outlook. However, it lacks true AI-powered workflow automation and is restricted to Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Cassidy, on the other hand, enables end-to-end AI automation across your entire tech stack. It integrates with multiple tools, supports multiple AI models, and allows enterprises to build custom workflows that adapt to their specific needs. With hands-on onboarding, admin controls, and broad AI flexibility, Cassidy is the better choice for businesses looking to deploy AI across departments and tools.

Ready to see how Cassidy can automate your workflows? Book a demo today.

Share online

Page URL

Read more posts

See all articles
Cassidy vs. Zapier
Read more

Cassidy vs. Zapier

About us

AI-Powered Automation vs. Traditional Workflows

Automation has evolved beyond simple “if this, then that” workflows. Cassidy is an AI-native automation platform, built for teams that need automation with human-level judgment—not just rule-based triggers. Zapier, on the other hand, is a traditional automation tool designed to connect apps with simple workflows.

While Zapier is great for basic, repetitive tasks, Cassidy takes automation further by infusing AI into every workflow, integrating deeply with business knowledge, and enabling non-technical users to build advanced automations.

Here’s a quick comparison of Cassidy vs. Zapier:

Feature Cassidy (AI-Driven) Zapier (Rule-Based)
Core Focus AI-powered automation & assistants Traditional “if this, then that” workflows
Built-in AI ✅ AI powers every step ❌ AI must be manually integrated as a step
Knowledge Base ✅ Retains & applies business context ❌ Workflows don’t retain knowledge
AI Assistants ✅ Real-time assistants in Slack, Teams, Chrome ❌ No AI assistants, only background workflows
Ease of Use ✅ No-code, built for non-technical users ⚠️ Simple for basic tasks, but lacks built-in AI
Learning Over Time ✅ Workflows improve with use ❌ Workflows remain static
Automation Logic ✅ Flexible, AI-driven workflows that adapt ❌ Rigid “if this, then that” logic
AI Models ✅ Built-in (GPT-4, Claude, etc., no setup needed) ❌ Must manually connect OpenAI or Zapier AI
Security & Access ✅ Enterprise-grade (SOC 2, permissions, SSO) ❌ Basic security, designed for small teams
Ideal User Businesses & enterprises needing AI automation Great for individuals & small teams

AI Integration: Built-in AI vs. “Add-on AI”

Cassidy is AI-first, meaning every workflow uses intelligence at its core. Whether automating sales outreach, drafting RFP responses, or summarizing customer inquiries, Cassidy’s AI understands context and makes informed decisions—just like a human would.

Zapier, on the other hand, treats AI as an add-on. You can add AI as a step in a Zap (e.g., sending data to OpenAI), but AI isn’t natively built into workflows. It’s an external tool you have to configure and integrate manually.

Cassidy makes AI a seamless part of automation, while Zapier simply calls AI when told to.

Cassidy is No-Code & Built for Non-Technical Users

One of the biggest differences between Cassidy and Zapier is who can use it.

  • Cassidy is designed for non-technical users. Anyone—sales teams, support reps, marketers—can build and customize AI-powered workflows without writing code.
  • Zapier is better suited for technically inclined users. While it offers a simple interface, more advanced automations require complex setup, API configurations, and manual logic building.

For example:

  • In Cassidy, a sales rep can automate lead enrichment, and Cassidy will research a prospect, pull insights, and generate a personalized outreach email.
  • In Zapier, you’d have to manually connect multiple apps, trigger API calls, and piece together responses with no contextual understanding.

If you want a platform that empowers every team member to build their own AI-driven automations—without waiting on developers—Cassidy is the clear choice.

Automation Logic: AI-Powered vs. Rigid “If-Then”

Zapier follows a strict “if this, then that” model. Every Zap follows a predefined sequence: if a condition is met, a specific action happens. While this works for repetitive tasks, it doesn’t adapt to complexity.

Cassidy enables flexible, AI-driven workflows. Instead of following a fixed set of rules, Cassidy’s automation:

  • Understands context and makes real-time decisions
  • Learns and improves over time
  • Handles complex, text-based tasks that traditional automation tools can’t

For example, Cassidy can automatically process and respond to RFPs, pulling from historical proposals to generate accurate answers. This simply isn’t possible in Zapier.

AI Assistants: Cassidy Provides Real-Time AI, Zapier Doesn’t

Cassidy doesn’t just run background workflows—it also provides real-time AI Assistants that work inside your favorite tools.

  • Slack & Teams Assistants – Employees can ask Cassidy questions, pull reports, and get AI-driven insights without leaving chat.
  • Chrome Assistant – AI that can analyze webpages, summarize information, or draft content in real time.
  • Embedded AI Assistants – Add Cassidy’s AI into your existing apps via API or UI embeds.

Zapier has no AI assistant functionality. It runs in the background, but users can’t interact with AI in real time. If you need AI that works inside the tools you already use, Cassidy is the only option.

Security & Enterprise Scalability

For businesses with security and compliance needs, Cassidy is built for enterprise use.

  • SOC 2 Type II, SSO, and granular permission controls
  • Knowledge Base permissions so AI can only access authorized data
  • Built to scale across teams, with centralized security settings

Zapier, on the other hand, is designed more for individuals and small teams. It offers team accounts, but lacks Cassidy’s granular security controls, making it less ideal for large enterprises with strict compliance needs.

Who Should Use Cassidy vs. Zapier?

Use Cassidy if you need:

✔️ AI-powered automation that understands context
✔️ No-code, enterprise-ready automation for non-technical teams
✔️ Real-time AI Assistants for Slack, Teams, and Chrome
✔️ Advanced security, scalability, and compliance

Use Zapier if you need:

✔️ Simple, rule-based automation for moving data between apps
✔️ A personal productivity tool for repetitive tasks
✔️ A lightweight solution for basic workflows

Both platforms serve different needs. If you need true AI-powered automation that can handle complex workflows and scale across your organization, Cassidy is the better choice.

Final Thoughts: Why Cassidy Wins

Zapier is a great tool for basic, trigger-based automation, but it wasn’t built for AI-first workflows. If you want automation that thinks, learns, and adapts, Cassidy is the future.

Cassidy doesn’t just move data—it automates the impossible. Ready to see it in action? Book a demo today.

 10 Ways Your Sales Team NEEDS to Be Using AI Right Now
Read more

10 Ways Your Sales Team NEEDS to Be Using AI Right Now

AI models

The future of sales is not a distant vision; it's unfolding in real-time, driven by AI's capability to refine and personalize every interaction.

At Cassidy, we're at the forefront of this evolution with contextual automation—a method that doesn't just look to the future but actively shapes the present. By leveraging this technology, sales teams today must embrace AI not only to keep pace but to lead in an already transformed market.

Our platform ensures your sales strategy is not just reactive but proactive, turning every sales challenge into an opportunity. Let's delve into how AI is already making a difference, in the sales world, and how tools like Cassidy can help you every step of the way.

Prepare and Research Meeting Invitees Before Sales Calls

Walking into a sales call unprepared is no longer an option. Cassidy’s AI-powered workflows ensure your team is equipped with detailed, actionable insights about meeting invitees before every call. This workflow does the heavy lifting for you by gathering data like company overviews, recent company news, and detailed information about the invitees.

Cassidy’s AI even dives into LinkedIn profiles to provide a comprehensive look at the organization and its stakeholders. All this information is compiled into a shareable document that can be accessed by your entire team, ensuring everyone is aligned and prepared. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with your calendar tools, so you have everything ready to go before the meeting starts.

For example, before a call, Cassidy can provide a summary of the prospect’s recent achievements or challenges, helping your team tailor the conversation and demonstrate value from the first interaction. It’s an all-in-one preparation tool that sets your sales calls up for success.

Deal Tracking Efficiency

Sales teams often struggle with the time-consuming task of sifting through vast amounts of data to find relevant customer information. That's where Cassidy's workflows come in, allowing you to pull up all the details on a customer or a deal in just seconds, thanks to AI.

This feature enables you and your team to instantly search through records, helping to get right to the point, personalize your approach, and keep the sales process moving smoothly. It's like having a super-efficient assistant dedicated to making your life easier.

For example, before calling a client, you can quickly search for their name in the system. Within seconds, you'll have access to their purchase history, recent interactions, and any notes from previous meetings, allowing you to tailor your conversation effectively.

Find Key Decision-Makers to Multithread Sales Deals

Finding the right decision-makers can be the difference between closing a deal and letting it slip away. Cassidy’s simplifies the process by identifying key stakeholders and influencers within a target organization.

Instead of manually researching or guessing who holds decision-making power, Cassidy analyzes CRM data, email communications, and external sources to provide you with a clear map of key players. This enables your team to craft targeted messages that resonate with each stakeholder, streamlining the sales process.

For example, if a deal involves multiple departments, Cassidy highlights which contacts to prioritize and how to address their specific concerns. This insight empowers your team to build stronger connections and accelerate deals without unnecessary delays.

Automatically Enrich New Leads

Finding and understanding new leads can be a daunting task, often requiring extensive research to gather all the necessary details. With Cassidy's AI, this process is automated, allowing you and your team to instantly enrich new leads with relevant information.

By integrating with various data sources, Cassidy's workflows automatically add valuable insights like job titles, company details, and contact information to your CRM. This feature ensures that when you engage with a new lead, you're equipped with a comprehensive profile, enabling more personalized and effective outreach.

For instance, when a new lead enters your system, instead of manually searching for their background, the AI enriches their profile, providing you with the context to tailor your communication, thereby improving conversion rates and enhancing your sales strategy's efficiency.

Streamline Team Responses with Verified Answers

Consistency and accuracy are crucial when responding to client questions, especially during RFP processes. Cassidy’s Answer Hub ensures that your team always delivers approved, verified responses to common queries, saving time and boosting credibility.

This feature centralizes all your organization’s approved answers in one place, making it easy for reps to find and share the right information instantly. No more scrambling to verify details or waiting on approvals—Cassidy’s AI ensures that everyone on your team is aligned.

So if you're ever in a situation where a client requests specific technical details or compliance information, reps can quickly search the Answer Hub to pull up the correct response, ensuring accuracy and consistency in their communication. This not only speeds up the sales process but also builds trust with clients, showing that your team is organized and dependable.

Automatically Transcribe, Save, and Query Meeting Notes

After a sales meeting, capturing and organizing notes can be time-consuming, often leading to missed insights or follow-up opportunities. Cassidy's AI simplifies this by automatically transcribing, saving, and enabling you to query meeting notes.

This feature ensures that all discussions, decisions, and action items from your meetings are recorded without manual effort. You and your team can then easily search through these notes for specific details or follow-ups, enhancing your ability to recall important points and personalize future interactions.

For example, post-meeting, the AI transcribes the conversation, saving it in your system where you can later ask for information like "What was the client's concern about pricing?" or "What follow-up was promised?" This automation not only saves time but also ensures that no detail is lost, making your sales process more organized and responsive.

Create Personalized Cold Emails that Stand Out

Cold emails are only effective when they feel anything but cold. Cassidy’s AI leverages LinkedIn insights, CRM data, and other sources to create hyper-personalized emails that capture attention and increase response rates.

The workflow analyzes key details about your prospect, like their role, company updates, and recent achievements, and crafts tailored outreach messages that feel authentic. For example, instead of sending a generic “just checking in” email, Cassidy generates a message that highlights the recipient’s recent LinkedIn activity or a relevant company milestone, positioning your sales team as informed and relatable.

Even better, Cassidy’s AI ensures these personalized emails are ready to send with minimal effort, saving your team valuable time while maintaining a high-touch approach. With smarter, data-driven outreach, you can turn cold leads into engaged prospects.

Personalize Sales Meeting Follow-Up Emails

The follow-up after a sales meeting can make or break the relationship. Cassidy’s AI ensures every follow-up email feels thoughtful, relevant, and timely, keeping the momentum going with your prospects.

This workflow uses meeting notes, CRM data, and insights from the conversation to draft tailored emails that highlight key discussion points, address objections, and outline next steps. For example, if pricing was a concern during the meeting, Cassidy’s AI suggests a follow-up email that includes a breakdown of value-add features or a link to relevant case studies.

The tool also automates the process, saving your sales team time while maintaining a high level of personalization. With smarter follow-ups, Cassidy helps your team stay top-of-mind and move deals forward faster.

Auto-Completing Security Questionnaires

Navigating through security questionnaires can be a significant hurdle in finalizing sales, often requiring extensive time and expertise to complete accurately. With Cassidy's AI, this process is streamlined, enabling you and your team to auto-complete these questionnaires with ease.

By integrating with your existing security documents, knowledge base, and other resources, Cassidy's workflows automatically fill in the answers, ensuring compliance and accuracy. This feature turns what could be a laborious task into a swift operation, allowing you to focus on closing deals rather than paperwork.

For example, when a new security questionnaire is required, instead of manually searching for responses, the AI quickly pulls the necessary information, completing the form in seconds. This efficiency not only speeds up the sales process but also reduces the risk of errors, making your sales cycle smoother and more secure.

Give Sales Team the Ability to Answer Technical Questions

Handling technical questions doesn’t have to be exclusive to engineers or IT specialists. Cassidy’s AI bridges the gap by enabling non-technical support and sales reps to confidently answer complex technical inquiries.

This feature pulls from your company’s existing knowledge base, integrating seamlessly with tools like Notion, Jira, Confluence, and internal wikis to provide accurate, approved responses in seconds. For example, when a prospect asks a detailed question about product integration or security protocols, Cassidy’s AI suggests the right answer instantly, saving time and preventing delays.

This workflow also ensures responses are aligned with RFP standards and company-approved language, reducing the risk of errors or miscommunication. By equipping your team with these tools, Cassidy enables everyone to contribute to technical discussions without requiring deep expertise, improving responsiveness and fostering trust with prospects.

Use Cassidy to help boost your Sales Performance

Ready to see how Cassidy can transform your sales strategy, streamline workflows, and help your team close deals faster? Start your journey with Cassidy today and experience the future of sales firsthand. Try for free today

Cassidy vs. Glean
Read more

Cassidy vs. Glean

About us

AI Automation vs. Enterprise Search

Cassidy and Glean serve different purposes in the enterprise AI space. Cassidy is an AI automation platform that executes multi-step workflows, while Glean is primarily an enterprise search tool designed to help teams find and retrieve information.

The biggest difference? Cassidy doesn’t just find information—it takes action. Whether automating RFP responses, triaging support tickets, or generating approvals, Cassidy applies AI to automate real work, while Glean focuses on retrieving knowledge across enterprise systems.

Here’s a quick feature comparison:

Feature Cassidy (AI Workflow Automation) Glean (Enterprise Search)
Core Focus ✅ AI-driven workflow automation ❌ Enterprise search & retrieval
Built-in AI ✅ AI powers every step ⚠️ AI helps find info, but doesn’t act
Knowledge Base ✅ Uses AI to automate tasks with context ✅ Centralized knowledge retrieval
AI Assistants ✅ Real-time assistants in Slack, Teams, Chrome ❌ No interactive AI assistants
Speed of Deployment ✅ Fast, no-code setup for targeted use cases ❌ Requires full org-wide data ingestion
Workflows vs. Agents ✅ No-code workflow automation ⚠️ AI “agents” generate workflows dynamically
Security & Access ✅ Enterprise-ready (SOC 2, permissions, SSO) ✅ Strong security & granular permissions
Ideal Use Case ✅ Automating multi-step business processes ✅ Finding company-wide knowledge

Cassidy: AI That Works For You

Cassidy isn’t just about surfacing information—it’s about automating work. It can:

  • Draft & process RFPs in seconds, pulling from company knowledge.
  • Triage and route support tickets automatically, reducing workload.
  • Enrich and update CRM records, helping sales teams move faster.
  • Generate personalized emails, reports, and summaries with real business context.

With no-code workflow automation, teams can deploy Cassidy quickly for immediate value—no IT-heavy setup required.

Glean: Search, Not Automation

Glean specializes in enterprise knowledge retrieval, making it easy for employees to find information across wikis, emails, and files. It’s designed to:

  • Reduce internal support tickets by giving employees self-service answers.
  • Help new hires get up to speed by centralizing company knowledge.
  • Improve decision-making by surfacing relevant reports and past work.

Glean’s AI-powered search is fast and accurate, but it doesn’t automate tasks or workflows—users still have to take action manually.

Speed of Deployment: Quick Wins vs. Heavy Rollout

  • Cassidy: Deploy in days, not weeks, by targeting a single high-impact use case (e.g., automating customer support responses or drafting proposals). AI assistants and workflows can be embedded directly into Slack, Teams, and email without deep integrations.
  • Glean: Requires indexing the entire organization’s data before it’s useful. Companies must integrate Glean with all tools and set up permissions before employees can start using it.

Cassidy delivers value immediately, while Glean is a long-term IT investment.

Automation Workflows vs. AI Agents

  • Cassidy: Users build clear, step-by-step workflows—for example, analyzing an incoming request, updating a system, and drafting a response—all automatically. It’s predictable, structured automation that businesses can rely on.
  • Glean: Introduces AI “Agents”, which attempt to dynamically generate workflows on the fly based on broad user goals. While promising, this approach lacks fine control and predictability, making it less suited for critical business processes.

Enterprise Readiness & Security

Both platforms meet enterprise security standards, including SOC 2 compliance and strong access controls.

  • Cassidy provides role-based access and data privacy controls, ensuring AI assistants only access relevant information.
  • Glean enforces strict user permissions, making sure employees only see data they are authorized to access.

While both platforms prioritize security, Cassidy is faster to implement without requiring full company-wide data integration.

Who Should Use Cassidy vs. Glean?

Use Cassidy if you need:

✔️ AI-powered workflow automation that acts, not just retrieves data
✔️ Fast, no-code deployment for targeted automation use cases
✔️ Real-time AI Assistants in Slack, Teams, and Chrome
✔️ Automations that replace manual tasks like RFPs, support triaging, and CRM updates

Use Glean if you need:

✔️ Enterprise-wide search to help employees find existing knowledge
✔️ A centralized knowledge hub that connects to all your company’s data sources
✔️ AI that retrieves information but doesn’t take action

Final Thoughts: Why Cassidy Wins

Glean is a powerful knowledge retrieval tool, but Cassidy goes further—using AI to actually get work done. If your goal is to automate business processes, reduce manual effort, and deploy AI-powered workflows quickly, Cassidy is the clear choice.

Ready to see Cassidy in action? Book a demo today.

See all articles

Start building AI tools in minutes

Access to the top models

Cassidy includes the top 5+ leading AI models.

Assistants

Intelligent assistants personalized to your team.

Workflows

Automate tasks with custom, data-driven workflows.

Chrome extension

Cassidy at your fingertips with browser extensions.

No model training

Unlike ChatGPT, Cassidy never trains with your data.

Knowledge Base

Centralized intelligence for smarter automation.