Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools
Aona browser pluginDetection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewSupported AI site list; browser extension or network path required
Workforce AI Security · Why Aona
AonaMicrosoft Purview
Aona vs Microsoft Purview
Choose Aona for employee AI security.
See what sets Aona apart, compare the details, and try it on your own devices.
30-day free trialSOC 2 Type II
The verdict
The Aona advantage
Aona is built for employee AI security. Its offer includes a 30-day guided trial, hard block with no user override, layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction, coverage of the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, real-time coaching and seven Aona-managed hosting regions, with the first signal during the agreed evaluation. Microsoft Purview is for labelling, retaining and governing data inside Microsoft 365, and its third-party AI controls stop at the browser session and the supported AI site list unless you add the network data security path, which needs Entra Global Secure Access or a SASE partner and extra licences. Keep Purview for the estate and add Aona for the moment an employee takes that data into an AI tool.
About this comparison
Compare the employee AI interaction your team needs to protect. Purview provides Microsoft 365, browser, endpoint and network controls with different prerequisites. Evaluate Aona on its supported installed-client path against the same action and required evidence.
The Workforce AI Security platform for any company adopting generative AI, with broader endpoint coverage than the incumbents, a simpler trial, and one of the few that ships hard-block DLP for AI prompts and files.
Microsoft Purview: Data security, governance and compliance for Microsoft 365, with browser and network paths for the third-party AI sites it supports.
Decision matrix
When to pick Aona
Five buyer scenarios, answered for employee AI use.
01Employees run the ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude desktop app rather than a browser tab.
Aona
Aona offers a native endpoint control path for supported employee AI interactions. Purview documents network data security for supported traffic through SASE or SSE integrations. Compare the exact app, OS, transport and required action; native coverage and coexistence need their own test.
02You need the upload blocked outright, or redacted so the work can continue.
Aona
Aona documents redaction for DOCX, XLSX and PDF on supported upload paths. Test the configured action and inspect the actual output, including layout and unsupported content. Compare it with the response available from your selected Purview policy; a detection result alone does not establish usable redacted output.
03You need an inventory of employee AI use before setting policy.
Aona
Aona recognises a catalogue of 10,000+ AI tools; observed activity requires its installed client and supported collection path. Compare that visibility with your current Purview collection policy. Catalogue breadth is not evidence of use or enforcement for every tool.
04You want a separately scoped employee AI security evaluation.
Aona
Review the Purview features and licensing already available for the intended action. Aona’s guided 30-day trial starts with a scoping conversation, with access arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed. A trial offer is not a rollout-duration guarantee.
05You need to label, retain and govern data at rest inside SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and Exchange.
Microsoft Purview
Purview provides data classification, labels, retention, eDiscovery and DLP for Microsoft 365 workloads. Aona is not a data-at-rest classification replacement. Consider a supported Aona endpoint path only where an additional employee AI action needs evaluation.
Capability matrix
What each tool actually does
Choose a priority. Compare Aona’s browser plugin and native app with the other product.
| Capability | Aona browser plugin | Aona native app | Microsoft Purview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | |||
| Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools | Detection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants | Supported | Supported AI site list; browser extension or network path required |
| Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider | Supported | Supported | Inline in Edge for Business; Chrome needs the Purview extension |
| Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop) | The browser plugin covers the browser only | Supported | Only via network data security; extra licences, partly preview |
| AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint | Not included | Limited rollout, not general availability | Confirm local endpoint/MCP inspection; these sources do not establish it |
| Govern | |||
| Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt | Supported | Supported | Policy tips and warn-with-override; no in-prompt learning loop |
| AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | Supported | Supported | Compliance Manager assessment templates, not employee AI-use policies |
| Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics | Supported | Supported | DSPM for AI reports; prompt detail needs E5-class licensing |
| Protect | |||
| Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override | Supported | Supported | In Edge, Chrome with the extension, or the network path |
| Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload | Supported | Supported | Linked actions: audit/block; confirm required file output |
| Sensitivity labels, retention and DLP for data at rest in Microsoft 365 | Not included | Not included | Core capability across SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and Exchange |
| Operations | |||
| Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions | Supported | Supported | Follows the tenant region; Advanced Data Residency add-on |
| SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks | Supported | Supported | Unified audit log and Microsoft Sentinel connectors |
| Free 30-day guided trial | Supported | Supported | Evaluated in the existing tenant; billing, onboarding and extension setup first |
| Time to first signal | Agree during scoping | Agree during scoping | Days: extension, device onboarding, billing setup |
Discover
Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewInline in Edge for Business; Chrome needs the Purview extension
Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop)
Aona browser pluginThe browser plugin covers the browser only
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewOnly via network data security; extra licences, partly preview
AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appLimited rollout, not general availability
Microsoft PurviewConfirm local endpoint/MCP inspection; these sources do not establish it
Govern
Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewPolicy tips and warn-with-override; no in-prompt learning loop
AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewCompliance Manager assessment templates, not employee AI-use policies
Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewDSPM for AI reports; prompt detail needs E5-class licensing
Protect
Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewIn Edge, Chrome with the extension, or the network path
Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewLinked actions: audit/block; confirm required file output
Sensitivity labels, retention and DLP for data at rest in Microsoft 365
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appNot included
Microsoft PurviewCore capability across SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and Exchange
Operations
Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewFollows the tenant region; Advanced Data Residency add-on
SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewUnified audit log and Microsoft Sentinel connectors
Free 30-day guided trial
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Microsoft PurviewEvaluated in the existing tenant; billing, onboarding and extension setup first
Time to first signal
Aona browser pluginAgree during scoping
Aona native appAgree during scoping
Microsoft PurviewDays: extension, device onboarding, billing setup
Based on vendor documentation as of September 2026. Email trust@aona.ai if you find a factual error.
Deployment
From evaluation to rollout.
Aona
- Shape
- Browser plugin for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari plus a native endpoint app for Windows and macOS, deployed by IT with its existing software deployment tools (Intune is one option). No network routing or DNS changes.
- Time to first signal
- Agree during scoping
- What IT must change
- Push the plugin and the endpoint app with your usual deployment tooling and connect Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync. Nothing changes on the network, in the SSE or in Microsoft 365.
- Prerequisites
- A software deployment tool for managed devices (Intune, Jamf or equivalent)
- Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync; general OIDC or SAML also works
Microsoft Purview
- Shape
- Microsoft 365 cloud service, already in the tenant. Third-party AI controls add prerequisites: an Edge for Business policy, the Purview browser extension and device onboarding for Chrome and endpoint DLP, pay-as-you-go billing for third-party AI sites, and Entra Global Secure Access or a SASE partner for the network path.
- Time to first signal
- Already deployed
- What IT must change
- Nothing changes to add Aona: no Purview policy migration and no shared policy engine. To extend Purview to third-party AI you enable pay-as-you-go, onboard devices, deploy the extension and, for desktop apps, integrate a network partner.
- Prerequisites
- Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 with the Purview features you plan to use (E7 bundles E5, Copilot, Entra Suite and Agent 365)
- Pay-as-you-go billing for third-party AI sites
- Purview browser extension and device onboarding; Entra Global Secure Access or a SASE partner for the network path
Scope, stated plainly
Know the scope. Plan with confidence.
Aona
- Aona inspects what reaches an AI tool. It does not discover or classify data at rest in SaaS, cloud or on-premises stores.
- Coverage needs the Aona plugin or endpoint app on the device. There is no agentless or network-only mode, so personal and unmanaged devices are out of scope.
- No iOS or Android coverage: AI use on phones is out of scope.
- Aona has a SOC 2 Type II examination report. No FedRAMP, IRAP or ISO 27001 today.
Microsoft Purview
- Browser, endpoint, connector and network protections have different supported actions and deployment requirements. Choose the intended path before comparing coverage.
- The ChatGPT Enterprise connector lists audit and compliance capabilities but marks DLP unsupported. Separate browser and endpoint DLP paths must be evaluated independently.
- The linked cloud-app documentation describes audit and block actions. Confirm the required document outcome rather than treating a detected or blocked file as a usable redacted copy.
- Licensing depends on the policy location and managed/unmanaged device and app scenario. Some Edge for Business scenarios are included in E5 or equivalent; others use pay-as-you-go.
- Supported AI app lists and policy conditions change. Record the current product, tenant setup and action when testing instead of treating a catalogue entry as uniform enforcement.
Security review facts
Ready for your security review.
Certifications, data handling, and residency for both vendors, answered up front so your GRC and legal review can start from this page.
Certifications
Aona
SOC 2 Type II (observation period to January 2026, report issued March 2026; trust center at trust.aona.ai). No FedRAMP or IRAP today.
Microsoft Purview
FedRAMP High, IRAP and a broad ISO portfolio via the Microsoft 365 platform. As of July 2026.
Trial
Aona
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
Microsoft Purview
Evaluated inside the existing Microsoft 365 tenant: the third-party AI controls need pay-as-you-go billing enabled, devices onboarded and the Purview extension deployed before the first signal. As of September 2026.
Where prompts are processed
Aona
Choose backend hosting separately from Aona prompt processing. Host the backend in your cloud, on your premises or on Aona-managed servers. Process prompts on the user device/on-edge, in your cloud or on-premises, or on Aona-managed servers. Confirm the supported configuration, retention, telemetry and integrations for your rollout; these choices do not change a third-party AI provider's data handling.
Microsoft Purview
Copilot and agent interactions are processed inside the Microsoft 365 service boundary. Third-party AI enforcement runs in Edge for Business, in Chrome through the Purview extension, or at the network layer through Entra Global Secure Access or a SASE partner, with prompts and responses sent to Purview when content capture is enabled. As of September 2026.
Data residency
Aona
Aona-managed backend hosting has seven regions: Australia, France, UK, Germany, US, Singapore and Hong Kong. Select prompt processing separately; confirm storage, retention, telemetry and any cross-region transfers for the supported configuration. Third-party AI providers have their own data handling.
Microsoft Purview
Follows your Microsoft 365 tenant region, with Advanced Data Residency add-ons for stricter commitments. As of July 2026.
DPA and security docs
Aona
DPA available on request. Trust center at trust.aona.ai, security overview at aona.ai/security. SOC 2 report under NDA.
Microsoft Purview
Covered by the Microsoft Products and Services Data Protection Addendum; documentation on the Microsoft Trust Center.
Competitor facts come from public documentation and pricing pages. Where a vendor does not publish a fact, we say so rather than guess. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
How they layer
How Aona and Microsoft Purview work together
Keep the controls that already meet your requirements. Name the additional employee action you need to protect, then test the supported Purview and Aona paths together. Separate content inspection, account access, labels and retention; a shared application name does not make these the same control.
Employee AI layer
On a supported installed-client path, Aona evaluates the configured prompt or file policy. Review the employee response and available events for that action.
Microsoft 365 estate layer
Purview classifies and labels data at rest, retains and discovers content, and applies DLP inside the Microsoft 365 workloads and in Edge for Business for the AI sites it supports.
A scoped joint test
Test both controls with the same synthetic input, account and employee surface. Record their decisions, coexistence and recovery before expanding the rollout.
Sources & review notes ↗Page updated:
Aona publishes these comparisons to explain its fit for employee AI use. Competitor facts come from public documentation, are dated, and are stated as mechanisms you can verify. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
- Microsoft: ChatGPT Enterprise connector capabilities
Checked 20 September 2026: connector audit/compliance capabilities are distinct from browser and endpoint DLP; the connector capability table marks DLP unsupported.
- Microsoft: DLP for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat
Checked 20 September 2026: sensitive prompts, web grounding, files and email controls; policy conditions and entitlement matter.
- Microsoft: Edge for Business cloud-app DLP
Checked 20 September 2026: managed/unmanaged app and device scenarios, supported actions and different licensing requirements.
- Microsoft Learn: protection for other AI apps
Third-party AI browser controls, device prerequisites, one-click policies and links to network data security. Specific actions and billing requirements vary by capability.
- Aona: coverage and deployment scope
Aona's documented client and action boundaries. A product description is not a completed compatibility test.
- Aona: SOC 2 Type II report
Report scope, observation period and request process.
Get started
Add Aona to Purview for the moment data leaves Microsoft 365
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
FAQ
Common questions from Microsoft Purview customers
Does the ChatGPT Enterprise connector include DLP?
Purview's ChatGPT Enterprise connector supports audit and compliance features; its capability table marks DLP as unsupported for that connector. Separate Purview browser and endpoint paths offer DLP for supported AI sites. Check the route and prerequisites, not just the licence name.
Which Copilot controls should we evaluate first?
Microsoft documents Purview DLP controls for sensitive prompts, files, emails and web grounding in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat. Cloud-app controls in Edge for Business have separate scenarios and licensing. Identify the policy location before checking entitlement.
We already have Microsoft Purview. Do we still need Aona?
Start by testing whether your licensed Purview configuration covers the employee app, account, client and action. Evaluate Aona where a supported installed-client path meets an additional requirement. Confirm coexistence, policy responses and evidence together; the app name alone does not establish a gap.
Does Aona honour Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels?
Content classification is not proof of integration with Purview sensitivity labels. If labels or encrypted documents matter, test the actual file and required policy response. Aona and Purview have separate policy engines; confirm any label-dependent requirement during the evaluation.
Will adding Aona conflict with our Microsoft Purview deployment?
Aona can complement Purview with controls for supported employee AI interactions. Its policies do not require merging with Purview's policy engine, but coexistence depends on your browser extensions, endpoint configuration and selected actions. Validate both products together on a pilot group, including prompt entry, file uploads, expected policy decisions and recovery. Do not assume conflict-free operation or a fixed rollout time for every deployment.
Does Microsoft Purview cover the ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude desktop apps?
Microsoft documents network data security through SASE or SSE integrations for supported AI traffic. Confirm the intended native app and its traffic against that integration’s current support. Aona native controls also depend on provider, operating system, transport and installed release; a browser result does not establish native feature parity.
What does Microsoft Purview licensing require for third-party AI, and how does Aona compare?
Identify the scenario first. Microsoft lists Edge for Business protection from a managed device to an unmanaged app as pay-as-you-go, while protection for Entra-managed apps is included in E5 or equivalent. Other policy locations and network integrations have their own requirements. Check the current Microsoft service description. Aona’s guided trial starts with the agreed deployment scope.