Microsoft is paying big money to influencers to promote Copilot, while some creators are backing away from AI deals

Microsoft is spending serious money to get Copilot in front of more people, and influencers are a big part of that strategy.

According to a new report from CNBC, Microsoft and Google have been offering some creators between $400,000 and $600,000 for long‑term partnerships to promote their AI products. In Microsoft’s case, that includes campaigns centered around Copilot, its AI assistant that’s now woven into Windows, Microsoft 365, Edge, and more.

These aren’t one‑off sponsored posts. CNBC describes multi‑month or even year‑long deals where creators integrate AI tools into their regular content, tutorials, and workflows. For Microsoft, that means positioning Copilot not just as a novelty, but as something that fits naturally into how people work, study, and create.

Indeed, during Super Bowl 60, Microsoft featured Copilot's flagship capabilities in an ad, demonstrating how NFL insiders can leverage its capabilities to generate charts based on historical data.

While speaking to ADWEEK, a Microsoft spokesman indicated that:

“There isn’t a net new Super Bowl ad. This is an extension of an existing campaign.”

Anthropic also spent millions of dollars to air a 60-second pregame ad and a 30-second in-game ad to promote its AI efforts.

Those promos may be sorely needed. We recently learned that despite Microsoft's broad user base across its Microsoft 365 services, only 3.3% of its users actually pay for Copilot. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claims that people are using Copilot a lot, further claiming that it's "becoming a true daily habit".

To make matters worse, the broader creator landscape around AI is getting more complicated.

Separate reporting highlighted by CNBC notes that some influencers and creatives are turning down AI‑related sponsorships altogether, citing concerns about audience backlash, ethical questions around AI, or fears of being seen as “selling out” to a controversial technology. Those reports don’t specify which companies’ deals are being rejected, and they don’t directly tie those decisions to Microsoft’s offers in particular

Instead, what emerges is a picture of a split creator economy:
on one side, big‑money AI deals from companies like Microsoft and Google; on the other, creators who are wary of how AI is perceived by their communities.

For Microsoft, Copilot is a central pillar of its future across Windows and the wider ecosystem. Influencer campaigns are a logical extension of that push, especially as traditional advertising struggles to cut through and users increasingly rely on trusted personalities for tech recommendations and explanations.

But the same dynamics that make influencers powerful also make them cautious. Many creators are closely attuned to their audiences’ skepticism around AI, whether that’s about job displacement, data usage, or the quality and reliability of AI‑generated content. That makes AI sponsorships a higher‑risk category than, say, a typical hardware or game promotion.

What we can say with confidence is this:

• Microsoft is willing to spend big —up to the mid‑six figures in some cases—to get Copilot in front of creator audiences.
• Some creators, across the industry, are saying no to AI promos, even as the money on the table grows.
• The AI marketing race is now as much about trust and perception as it is about budget.

Copilot’s success won’t hinge solely on influencer campaigns, but these deals show just how important Microsoft believes creator‑driven adoption will be in the next phase of AI.

How do you feel about tech companies paying huge sums for AI promotions while some creators pull back? Share your take.

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