Microsoft threatens to RAM Copilot into Exchange Server on-prem (www.theregister.com)

Microsoft has quietly floated the idea of bringing Copilot to Exchange Server on-premises via a short survey that asks administrators whether they’d be comfortable if “some Exchange Server data” were sent to Microsoft’s cloud. The questionnaire probes desired features — email summarization, server-health monitoring, etc. — and asks admins to mark non-negotiables like regulatory compliance, strict data boundaries, admin-defined restrictions, or the ability to remain fully disconnected. It also oddly limits responses about current Copilot use to three adoption-stage options and omits an outright “no” choice. The move is significant because many organizations run Exchange on‑prem precisely to avoid cloud routing for sensitive mail and metadata; even exploring a cloud‑dependent Copilot raises data‑sovereignty, compliance, and telemetry concerns. Technically, supporting on‑prem Copilot would likely require some form of data transfer or hybrid telemetry pipeline unless Microsoft delivers local/edge inference, strict schema-level redaction, or contractual guarantees for data residency and processing limits. The survey isn’t a commitment or mandate, but it signals Microsoft’s intent to expand Copilot across more workloads — meaning Exchange admins should scrutinize any future designs for where inference happens, what is uploaded, and how regulatory constraints will be enforced.