Microsoft Copilot looks set to gain GPT-5 access via new 'smart' chat mode — right alongside ChatGPT

Microsoft Copilot looks to be gearing up for OpenAI’s next big generative AI model update, with GPT-5 just around the corner. A new leak has revealed that the company is already testing GPT-5 options within the Copilot interface, suggesting that Copilot will gain access to GPT-5 right alongside ChatGPT once it’s announced.

Spotted by TestingCatalog.com, the Copilot app/website has a hidden chat mode dubbed “Smart” that suggests it will use GPT-5 to generate responses. The new mode is described as letting Copilot “think deeply or quickly based on the task.” Copilot has always had different chat modes, which utilize different AI models and capabilities.

The new Smart mode in Copilot looks like it will automatically alter its response strategy based on what the user is asking of it, reducing the need to manually switch between different chat modes, and streamlining the experience for casual users who might not know which mode is best for their query.

This new Smart mode also suggests that GPT-5 will support both reasoning and non-reasoning capabilities together, something OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has hinted was being worked on in the past.

OpenAI is expected to take the wraps off GPT-5 sometime in August, after an initial delay that pushed the launch from July. GPT-5 is expected to support multiple intelligence modes, with the free ChatGPT tier getting basic GPT-5 access, followed by Plus and Premium subscribers getting access to higher levels of intelligence.

It’s unclear which intelligence level Copilot will use, though it makes sense that Microsoft is eager to adopt GPT-5 as fast as possible. Microsoft wants to position Copilot as the AI assistant that just works, where the technology that powers is fades into the background. GPT-5 is expected to be a huge leap forward in this regard.

Microsoft and OpenAI share a special partnership that is reportedly rather strained at times. Still, the partnership allows Microsoft to gain access to OpenAI’s new AI models as soon as they’re available, allowing quick implementation into its own products such as Copilot.

Copilot remains the best choice for users dipping their toes into the world of AI. If you’re not sure where to start, Microsoft is trying to position Copilot as the easiest generative AI assistant to use, with a friendly interface and focus on productivity-based workflows and experiences.

While ChatGPT is one of the most popular generative AI tools on the market, Copilot is built into every Windows PC on the planet, which makes it an easy entry point for many people who aren’t overly invested in how the technology works behind the scenes.

Microsoft is also working on its own generative AI models that might eventually replace GPT within Copilot, but the company clearly isn’t ready to do that just yet, and it also doesn’t need to, as the partnership between it and OpenAI ensures Microsoft has access to the best generative AI models from OpenAI at all times.