Microsoft’s latest updates to its Copilot AI assistant are sparking conversation about the company’s place in the crowded AI market.
Copilot, launched last year, aims to stand out with unique features and a friendlier, more conversational tone. Under the guidance of Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI division has worked to humanize the AI by incorporating insights from psychologists, novelists, and even comedians to enhance its style and tone, Reuters news report said.
One of the standout features is Copilot’s ability to engage in real-time conversations while browsing the web, offering advice such as suggesting trendy olive oils as housewarming gifts. These updates give Copilot a more interactive, almost companion-like quality, making it an “ever-present confidant” for users, according to Mustafa Suleyman.
At its core, Copilot leverages a combination of Microsoft’s AI models and OpenAI technology. Users of the $20-a-month Copilot Pro subscription can now test features like “Think Deeper,” which provides AI-driven reasoning for complex decisions, and “Copilot Vision,” which allows for interaction with AI based on what users are viewing in their browser.
These innovations suggest that Microsoft is making significant strides toward establishing Copilot as more than just a chatbot. Its potential integration across various Microsoft products, including Word, Windows, and even gaming consoles, could transform it into a deeply embedded personal assistant. While Microsoft’s Copilot still faces competition from the likes of ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, its tailored approach could carve out a distinctive niche in the AI landscape.
As for Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates, Mustafa Suleyman notes that he’s especially enthusiastic about Copilot’s potential to streamline tasks like reading and organizing emails —highlighting the assistant’s capacity to evolve and adapt to user needs.
Microsoft’s achievements with Copilot AI platform
Microsoft has earlier announced achievements with its Copilot AI platform during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Over 77,000 organizations, including major companies like BBVA, FedEx, H&M, Infosys, and Paytm, have embraced Copilot, marking a 180 percent year-over-year growth.
Copilot has been a key driver of GitHub’s growth, contributing to over 40 percent of GitHub’s revenue increase in 2023. GitHub’s annual revenue run rate has now reached $2 billion, making Copilot a larger business than GitHub was at the time of its acquisition by Microsoft.
The integration of AI in Microsoft’s Power Platform has also seen a surge, with 480,000 organizations now using AI-powered features to create apps, automate workflows, and build websites, reflecting a 45 percent quarter-over-quarter growth. Power Platform now boasts 48 million monthly active users, a 40 percent increase year-over-year.
Copilot’s presence in Microsoft 365 is becoming integral to the daily routines of knowledge workers, with usage nearly doubling quarter over quarter. Companies like Capital Group, Disney, and EY are deploying Copilot across tens of thousands of employees. Copilot Studio has also seen success, with 50,000 organizations, including McKinsey and Cognizant, using the tool to create custom Copilots.
In healthcare, Copilot is making a transformative impact. More than 400 organizations, including Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, have adopted DAX Copilot, with AI-generated clinical reports tripling in volume.
Microsoft’s focus on security is also evident, with over 1,000 customers, including Alaska Airlines and Wipro, using Copilot for security operations, further reinforced by updates to Microsoft Defender and Purview to secure AI deployments.
As a testament to Copilot’s consumer reach, users have created over 12 billion images and conducted 13 billion chats, reflecting a 150 percent increase in engagement since the beginning of the year.
With these advances, Copilot appears to be positioning itself as a forward-thinking AI assistant, aiming to redefine how consumers interact with digital tools in everyday life.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
