CoPilot - Prep Data for AI

[dgwilson]

Hi there...

I've got a confusing issue where I have Copilot access (via Power Bi Desktop) but prep Data for AI says I do not have access.

The reports I'm updating - I'm not the original author of. This is happening in two reports now and I'm sure I've done it successfully in one of the. The error message should be updated to provide stacks of addmitional information in my opinion as this is insufficient for diagnosis.

Any pointers appreciated.

Version: 2.156.951.0 64-bit (July 2026)

[v-achippa]

Hi @dgwilson,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Community.

Thank you @MohamedFowzan1, @Natarajan_M, @Gautam_Kumar01 and @danextian for the prompt response.

Here the Prep data for AI does not save to the report, it saves to the underlying semantic model, so it checks your permission on the model itself. Please follow below:

• You need write or build permission on the semantic model the report is built on, not just access to the report.
• Q&A must be enabled on that semantic model.
• In power bi desktop, Prep data for AI only works when the report uses an Import, DirectQuery or Composite(local) connection. If it is a live connection to a shared or published model, it will not work in desktop, instead author it in the service directly on the semantic model.

For reference, follow the below documentation:

Prepare Your Data for AI to Improve Copilot Results (Preview) - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Thanks and regards,

Anjan Kumar Chippa

[v-achippa]

Hi @dgwilson,

As we haven’t heard back from you, we wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution I have provided for the issue worked?  or let us know if you need any further assistance.

Thanks and regards,

Anjan Kumar Chippa

[danextian]

Co-pilot for Power BI requires a workspace with a premium or at least F64 capacity.  This feature also must be enabled by your tenant admin.

[Gautam_Kumar01]

Hi @dgwilson 

This happens because "Prep Data for AI" in Copilot requires tenant-level enablement + specific permissions, even if you have Copilot access in PBI Desktop.

Here are the 3 things to check:

1. Tenant Admin Setting
Fabric Admin Portal > Tenant settings > Copilot > "Users can use Copilot and other AI features" must be ON
Also enable: "Prep Data for AI" / "Copilot in Power BI" for your org

2. Report Ownership / Permissions
"Prep Data for AI" only works if you are the Owner or have "Reshare + Build" permission on the semantic model.
Since you said "not the original author", ask the owner to give you Build permission on the dataset.

3. License
You need Fabric Free / Pro / Premium Per User + Copilot for Fabric license assigned to you.

The error "You don't have access to Copilot" in that pane specifically means point 2. Desktop Copilot works but Model-level AI doesn't.

Try: Open the semantic model > Manage permissions > Add yourself with Build. Then reopen report.

Hope this helps!

[dgwilson]

Take a look at my follow up message - where I said I tried this in the office and it worked.

Thus the fault is a networking error of some description - though the error message doesn't provide any clues.

Now, while I'm not the original author (they have left the business)... I have published this to a test workspace. Completed refreshes etc. So I'm the effective owner. I'm workspace Admin as well.

Plus tenant admin - settings have not been reconfigured. And it's proof that all is OK in the office.

[Natarajan_M]

Hi @dgwilson , Can you share the details of the file that you have opened in the desktop , is it connected live to the semantic model ? or its a file that have all the sources in it ? 

Thanks 

Thanks!

Natarajan Manivasagan

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[dgwilson]

OK, I have an update.

The report is a thick report.

When I was trying to do this setup I was working from home using my work issued Windows laptop. I did end up removing some proxy confiuration ...  and got it to work - that is less than ideal.
From windows cmd line - setx https_proxy and setx http_proxy.

As of writing this message - I am in the office and have loaded up the report I was having issues with and was able to access "Prep Data for AI" straight away.

This to me means there is some network call that is failing and then falling through to some generic error message - that is of no help what so ever to allow any sensible diagnostics to be performed. And it's difficult for me to engage the network team when I can't tell them anything about what is happening.

- David

[MohamedFowzan1]

Hi @dgwilson 

Since this only happens on reports you didn't author, I'd test whether it's tied to report ownership. Try creating a new report (or Save As a copy) against the same semantic model and see if Prep data for AI works there. If it does, that points to a permissions/ownership requirement rather than Copilot itself. The current error message doesn't really help identify what's missing.