Earlier this week, I reported that Microsoft disrupted Excel’s user experience by introducing an un-dismissable floating Copilot button that obstructs data on the screen. "This is atrocious implementation," a user lamented. "I capture screenshots for validation, and this is inserting itself over the data, which already has limited space on my screen.

I reached out to Microsoft about the issue. While the company responded, it offered little beyond two resources: one explaining how to disable Copilot in Excel and Word, and another outlining its broader strategy of integrating Copilot into Office apps as part of an effort to "build an AI‑forward design system that supports work today, while carrying us into tomorrow."

And now, in a new report by Windows Latest, Microsoft has admitted that the floating Copilot button across its Office apps is getting in the way of users' workflows. Consequently, the company is now rolling out a fix that will allow users to move Copilot back to the ribbon.

"The placement of the Copilot button is the worst decision I've seen," a Windows Central reader complained. "I think I get the logic, of putting it in the lower right corner, where most chatbots and live chat buttons have been in web UI for decades, but Excel isn't a web app. There isn't a need for the button to be in the lower corner, covering usable working space. The toolbar is where everyone knows to go in Office, and it had a fitting home in the toolbar."

According to Microsoft:

"If intelligence doesn’t meet you at the right level of that cycle, it doesn’t feel like a partner. It feels like an interruption. That insight is the structural foundation of how Copilot behaves across Office apps. It sees what you’re working on and understands the context, allowing it to act within the given environment."

Microsoft has a big Copilot problem

But perhaps more interestingly, the tech giant indicated that it spotted higher Copilot interactions and engagement after it shipped the floating Copilot button as a default experience across its Office apps.

However, following backlash from users over the change, Microsoft is now rolling back the change and allowing users to move Copilot back to the ribbon. Windows Latest reports that Microsoft is expected to make this change in the last week of May 2026.

Elsewhere, Mat Velloso, a former Partner Director managing AI innovation in Windows at Microsoft, recently indicated that the company has already missed the AI wave, just like it did with the internet and mobile.

He argues that not even 3% of paying customers use Copilot, "even when the distribution is massive, and it's pre-deployed right in their faces," which lines up with a separate report suggesting that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot Chat actually pay for it, despite Microsoft spending $37.5 billion on its AI-themed efforts in Q2 FY26.

Interestingly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella indicated that the company now has more than 20 million enterprise customers paying for Microsoft Copilot, representing a 33% increase in the platform's user base from January's 15 million.

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A major change to OneDrive is about to roll out. Starting next month, files that are locally available on a device and then deleted from the cloud will no longer appear in the Recycle Bin of the device.

The change is being made to improve OneDrive sync performance and "make file recovery more predictable," according to Microsoft.

I recently managed around 300GB of data that was synced to OneDrive, including documents, photos, and videos. Between moving files, deleting items, and uploading new versions of older content, syncing took ages. I happily welcome anything that improves sync performance for OneDrive.

I'm curious to see if some people respond to the change negatively. It improves OneDrive sync performance, but it also removes a safety net of having files appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash of a physical device.

The current setup of OneDrive allows you to restore a cloud-saved file on your device without having to open a browser. That will no longer be the case after next month.

Microsoft sent word about the change through the Microsoft 365 Message Center (archived here).

"Starting May 2026, files deleted from OneDrive cloud won't appear in local Recycle Bin or Trash but can be recovered from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Local deletes remain unchanged. No admin action needed; users should be informed about the new recovery process."

As of right now, deleting a file from the cloud results in that file appearing in the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on macOS. If you delete a large number of files, that can create a lot of work to keep OneDrive in sync.

Following the change, deleted files will also be deleted from the local disk. You will still be able to recover the files if needed, you will just have to do so through the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Those recycle bins keep files for up to 93 days, so you'll need to make sure to restore any files you need before they're deleted forever.

If you delete a file on-device, that file will still appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash depending on your operating system.

The change will start rolling out in early May and should be done before the end of that month.

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I knew I wasn't the only one who felt like Microsoft is slapping Copilot branding across too much of its tech stack. How many Copilot offerings exist in Microsoft's ecosystem? It's even more than you might think.

AI sleuth Tey Bannerman recently found 78 distinct products, features, and services named Copilot after combing through Microsoft’s documentation, marketing, and launch materials (via Tom's Hardware). Interestingly, Copilot says there are around 95 to 120+ Copilots.

The number has surged to at least 80 after Gaming Copilot and Microsoft Dragon Copilot joined the fold. "What happens when you name everything Copilot?" added Bannerman.

“Apps, features, platforms, a keyboard key, an entire category of laptops - and a tool for building more Copilots." Admittedly, it's quite taxing to try to stay on top with these tools, especially if there might be other products and services with similar branding in the pipeline.

Bannerman argues that most AI companies prefer renaming products over rebuilding them, since it’s faster. "Stamping 'AI' on what already exists will always feel more efficient than stepping back and asking what a genuinely transformed experience would look like."

Perhaps more interestingly, Microsoft was recently on the spot after Copilot's terms of use language went viral, suggesting that Copilot is meant for entertainment purposes only. However, the company dismissed the phrasing as legacy language from when Copilot originally launched as a search companion service in Bing.

"The Copilot metaphor is almost too perfect," indicated Bannerman. "A copilot is supposed to mean one trusted partner who helps you get where you're going. 78 of them in the cockpit with no flight plan is just turbulence."

Is Microsoft flying with too many Copilots?

You know what they say about too many cooks. Microsoft's AI strategy feels a bit all over the place right now, though it is getting its act together in Windows 11 by reducing where Copilot and AI experiences appear in the operating system.

As early as 2024, Microsoft Insiders were already complaining about the company's AI strategy: "There's a gap between the ambitious vision and what users are actually experiencing. Internally, we're calling it growing pains. We are building the plane as we fly it."

Interestingly, the report further claimed that Microsoft outsources support from third-party AI vendors to make its AI-powered apps work. A high-ranking Microsoft executive even indicated that most Copilot-themed products are gimmicky.

Another Microsoft employee corroborated the sentiments, indicating that the tool"works really darn well at sharing information that the customer doesn't want to share or didn't think it had made available to its employee, such as salary info." Perhaps more concerningly, the staffer indicated that it could potentially take years for Microsoft to fix this issue.

According to one Microsoft Insider, "There is a delusion on our marketing side where literally everything has been renamed to have Copilot in it. Everything is Copilot. Nothing else matters. They want a Copilot tie-in for everything."

Microsoft's complicated OpenAI partnership has seemingly made things worse, with some insiders suggesting that it has turned it into an overnight glorified IT department for the hot startup. That, and a former Microsoft executive claims that the partnership has contributed to the death of products like Azure Cognitive Search, Azure AI Bot Service, and Kinect DK.

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Over the weekend, Microsoft Copilot was, once again, trending for the wrong reasons. Microsoft’s terms of use for the AI-powered tool (which was seemingly last updated on October 24, 2025) indicated that: "Copilot is for entertainment purposes only. It can make mistakes, and it may not work as intended. Don’t rely on Copilot for important advice. Use Copilot at your own risk."

Copilot's terms of use have sparked controversy across social media, with some suggesting that Microsoft isn't confident in its offering and that the language could be a cover story to save face in case things go wrong.

However, a Microsoft spokesperson speaking to PCMag dismissed the claims: "The phrasing is legacy language from when Copilot originally launched as a search companion service in Bing. As the product has evolved, that language is no longer reflective of how Copilot is used today and will be altered with our next update."

Interestingly, this disclaimer isn't unique to Microsoft Copilot. As highlighted by our sister site Tom's Hardware, it's consistent across other AI chatbots. For instance, OpenAI's terms of use indicate that "You accept and agree that any use of outputs from our service is at your sole risk, and you will not rely on output as a sole source of truth or factual information, or as a substitute for professional advice."

It's evident that generative AI is a tough industry to venture into, particularly because of its ever-evolving nature and the vast resources required to keep up with trends. Wall Street experts and analysts recently warned that investor interest in the category is rapidly waning, citing Big Tech's inability to map out a clear path to profitability.

While announcing Microsoft's financial earnings report for FY26 Q2, CEO Satya Nadella indicated that Copilot's daily user base has grown “nearly 3x year-over-year.” However, a separate report revealed that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot actually pay for it.

Late last month, the tech giant lost approximately a quarter of its value in the first three months of the year, its steepest quarterly drop since the 2008 financial crisis. However, the company isn't giving up on its AI ambitions as it already has elaborate plans to invest about $146 billion in infrastructure in 2026, which is approximately twice last year’s $88 billion.

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Microsoft recently announced that "Copilot Cowork" is now available via its Frontier program. It's designed to help you delegate and handle a wide range of tasks at work, including creating plans and reasoning across your tools and files.

Availability was previously limited to a few users in Research Preview, but it has now shipped to the Frontier program, which means Microsoft 365 customers can opt in to the experimental feature before it ships more broadly.

Users can ask the AI-powered Copilot Cowork to initiate multiple tasks simultaneously and manage them via a new dashboard. It's worth noting that the new Copilot Cowork experience is powered by Anthropic's Claude Cowork.

"With skills from Claude and Microsoft built in, such as calendar management and daily briefing, Copilot Cowork can handle everything from one-off tasks to repeatable workflows like a monthly budget review," Microsoft added.

Copilot Cowork should be available via Microsoft's new 365 E7 AI subscription tier for $99/user/month. It'll be interesting to see whether the new subscription tier delivers value with better discounts following the new additions to the package.

Alongside shipping Copilot Cowork to more users via its Frontier program, Microsoft has made major improvements to its Researcher AI agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot. The AI agent will now have access to both OpenAI and Anthropic’s models, enabling it to tackle complex tasks more effectively by analyzing and synthesizing information across diverse sources.

As such, users can expect more accurate, insightful, and helpful responses to their queries. Additionally, Researcher is also getting a new feature called Critique, which will leverage different models from Anthropic and OpenAI to separate generation from evaluation. "One model plans the task and creates an initial draft, while a second model focuses on refinement, acting as an expert reviewer before the final report is produced," Microsoft added.

Plus, Researcher is also getting a new "Model Council" selection, which will let users compare responses from different models side by side. This will allow users to see where the models agree and disagree. "It’s like having multiple researchers at your fingertips."

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In case you missed it, an update launched in January (for Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7535) to Microsoft's Dev and Beta Channels, allowing admins to uninstall the Copilot app on managed Windows 11 devices (recently resurfaced by PCMag via an earlier article from our friends at Tom's Hardware, but not particularly breaking news).

Microsoft has undoubtedly faced harsh criticism and backlash for forcing Copilot integrations across Windows 11. While it has been possible to remove the Copilot chatbot app from individual consumer Windows 11 PCs for some time, some admins still weren't able to mass-uninstall the tool across a fleet of devices. Well, at least until recently.

Then again, it's no easy feat. Admins will need to enable a new "RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp" policy to uninstall the Copilot app. It's worth noting that this is limited to Enterprise, Pro, and EDU SKUs, and users can also install the Copilot app in Windows 11 again if they really want to.

Admins also need to ensure each of their respective devices meets certain thresholds:

• Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot are both installed
• The Microsoft Copilot app was not installed by the user
• The Microsoft Copilot app was not launched in the last 28 days

Microsoft is relaxing its Copilot integrations

At the start of the year, Microsoft announced its commitment to improving overall user sentiment toward Windows 11 in 2026. The company has already highlighted some of its plans, including the return of a movable and resizable Taskbar, reducing where Copilot and AI experiences appear, allowing users to postpone updates indefinitely, and even dropping the forced Microsoft Account requirement during setup.

PC enthusiasts can even look forward to a more consistent dark mode in Windows 11, though no timeline has been set for its rollout to legacy apps across the OS.

Microsoft even earned itself a new (unwanted) nickname — microslop. It came after CEO Satya Nadella pleaded with users to stop calling artificial intelligence "slop" in 2026: "We have moved past the initial phase of discovery and are entering a phase of widespread diffusion," Nadella added. "We are beginning to distinguish between “spectacle” and “substance.”

The executive's plea seemingly had the opposite effect, sparking outrage, mockery, and backlash from users across social media. Some even developed a Chrome extension that turns every mention of Microsoft into microslop across the internet.

Nadella admitted that AI needs to prove its worth sooner rather than later, or big tech could lose public support "to actually take something like energy, which is a scarce resource, and use it to generate these tokens."

While the ability to completely uninstall Copilot in all its forms across Windows 11 seems somewhat limited right now, I hope Microsoft gives users more control over the option, potentially making it easier to uninstall (or install) the integrations with a single click.

Personally, I'd argue that Microsoft is flying a sinking ship with too many "Copilots" for its AI strategy in Windows to even make sense. As Microsoft ramps up its efforts to improve Windows 11, it will be paramount for the company to make it easier for users to uninstall all instances of Copilot and disable its integrations across the operating system if we choose to.

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During a talk about “Mitigating the Top 5 Microsoft 365 Copilot Security Risks” at Gartner’s Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney on Tuesday, analyst Dennis Xu jokingly suggested banning the use of Microsoft Copilot on Friday afternoons.

He noted that by the end of the week, many users might be too lazy to double‑check whether the chatbot’s outputs are offensive, which raised his concern (via The Register).

As AI models and chatbots become more advanced, prompt engineering is increasingly vital to unlocking their full potential. So, why Friday? The analyst argued that most professionals are usually tired by this time of the week and wouldn't bother to check for errors in Microsoft Copilot's responses.

Xu floated the idea about banning Copilot on Friday afternoons while discussing the fifth risk he'd identified about the chatbot generating output that might be a tad inappropriate. While he admitted that the output might be factually correct, it may come off as toxic and offensive, making it unsuitable in the workplace or even among customers.

The analysts reiterated the importance of reviewing Copilot's output before sharing to a broader audience, and even making it a ritual. He also recommended addressing Copilot's toxic content using filters from Microsoft.

While many users seem to show a bias toward ChatGPT when comparing it to Copilot (though the growing #CancelChatGPT movement may be shifting perceptions), Microsoft has argued that its offering is superior. The company suggests that users simply aren’t leveraging Copilot as intended, pointing instead to a lack of proper prompt‑engineering skills.

💬 Is "AI fatigue" a thing?

There's no denying that generative AI is slowly but surely securing its spot in the corporate world. Tech leaders and key stakeholders heavily invested in the industry have speculated how the next-gen technology will reshape the future. especially the job market.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates speculates that AI will replace humans for most things. At the same time, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman recently claimed that white-collar jobs could be automated by AI and become extinct within the next 12-18 months.

Despite the threat to the job market, AI is largely seen as a productivity booster in the workplace. However, there have been complaints from professionals, citing AI fatigue (via Business Insider).

While AI seemingly makes people more productive, it has also made their jobs harder and left them drained. A recent study by Microsoft researchers indicated that AI chatbots get "dumber" the longer you talk to them, raising concerns about their reliability.

A separate Microsoft study revealed that overreliance on AI tools like Copilot atrophies people's critical thinking capabilities.

Do you feel fatigued when using Copilot or any other AI tools in your workflow? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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Microsoft is temporarily pausing automatic installations of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices that have the Microsoft 365 desktop client. The company hasn't explained why, and if it ever decides to move forward, the app will still be added to the Windows 11 Start menu and enabled by default.

"Automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop apps, planned for December 2025, is temporarily disabled," it indicated in a Microsoft 365 message center update. "Existing installations remain unaffected." Admins can opt out of this experience via the Apps Admin Center.

Last September, the software giant announced that it would begin a forced rollout of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app across Windows devices in early December, further indicating that the process was slated to be complete by mid-December. However, Microsoft indicated that the change would not impact customers in the EEA (via Bleeping Computer).

As you may know, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app brings Copilot's AI-powered capabilities to the Microsoft 365 suite of productivity apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — intending to help users draft reports, presentations, and emails by generating content and offering editing suggestions.

Microsoft touted the Microsoft 365 Copilot app as "a centralized entry point for accessing Copilot experiences and AI-powered capabilities across Microsoft 365" when it announced its automatic installation on Windows devices.

💬 Is Microsoft subtly moving away from too many Copilot integrations?

Yesterday, we learned about Copilot's leadership shake‑up with Microsoft splitting it into four pillars: Copilot experience, Copilot platform, Microsoft 365 apps, and AI models.

Related: Microsoft 365 is paywalling most of Copilot in Office apps

Ex-Snap exec Jacob Andreou will lead Copilot experiences, both consumer and commercial, as an executive vice president reporting to Nadella, freeing up Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, to focus on developing new AI models.

Elsewhere, Microsoft also scrapped its plans to integrate Copilot into notifications and Settings on Windows 11 as part of its broader strategy to reduce AI bloatware and improve general user sentiment about the operating system in 2026.

Do you support Microsoft’s decision to pause automatic installs of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows 11? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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Microsoft just made some major changes to its Copilot leadership structure. The tech giant has brought together its commercial and consumer Copilot efforts and announced several roles to lead the charge to accomplish its mission of superintelligence.

Microsoft's Copilot system will have four "pillars," as described by Microsoft: Copilot experience, Copilot platform, Microsoft 365 apps, and AI models.

All the details were shared in a blog post written by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Mustafa Suleyman.

Jacob Andreou will lead Copilot experiences, both consumer and commercial as an executive vice president reporting to Nadella. Before joining Microsoft, Andreou was a Senior Vice President at Snap (the company behind Snapchat).

Ryan Roslansky, Perry Clarke, and Charles Lamanna will lead Microsoft 365 apps and the Copilot platform.

The restructure frees up a familiar face, Mustafa Suleyman, to focus on building models.

"To that end, we are bringing the Copilot system across commercial and consumer together as one unified effort," explained Nadella. "This will span four connected pillars: Copilot experience, Copilot platform, Microsoft 365 apps, and AI models. This is how we move from a collection of great products to a truly integrated system, one that is simpler and more powerful for customers."

Speaking of Microsoft's superintelligence mission, Nadella pressed the importance of Suleyman.

"Mustafa Suleyman and I have been working towards this plan for some time, and he will continue to lead this high ambition work, reporting to me. Mustafa is uniquely qualified to drive this forward, with his deep focus and commitment to advancing the frontiers of model science, while also ensuring that human control, agency, and economic opportunity remain at the center of these advancements."

Suleyman has spoken about superintelligence on several occasions, including clarifying that it won't replace humanity.

In his portion of the statement, Suleyman called the creation of superintelligence as "the foundation for our future as a company." He added that, "the next phase of this plan is to restructure our organization to enable me to focus all my energy on our Superintelligence efforts and be able to deliver world class models for Microsoft over the next 5 years."

Suleyman's new role could also help Microsoft shift away from its reliance on OpenAI. The company has already started shifted away from the startup, opening its relationship last year and working on its own models.

💬 Will Microsoft play a key role in creating a superintelligent AI system?

Superintelligence refers to an AI system that surpasses human cognitive abilities. Suleyman explained that Microsoft's vision for superintelligence would deliver "all the goodness of science and invention without the "uncontrollable risks”

But will Microsoft actually be a pioneer in AI and be part of the team that passes the superintelligence milestone? Let me know your predictions in the comments.

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Do you hate the dedicated Copilot button on your Windows 11 Copilot+ PC? Thanks to a daring third‑party developer, you can now unofficially remap it back to its original purpose — the right‑side CTRL key.

In 2024, Microsoft announced that upcoming Windows PCs will be equipped with a dedicated Copilot key, branding it the "most significant change to the Windows keyboard" in 30 years. While it was possible to remap the dedicated Copilot key in Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft temporarily scrapped that option to avoid bugs.

But this doesn't necessarily mean that you can't find alternative third-party solutions for the issue. As is the case with NoCopilotKey, which is described as "a tiny program that changes the Copilot keyboard key back into the right Ctrl key" by the developer on GitHub (via Neowin).

The developer explained that the project was inspired by Microsoft’s decision to require manufacturers to replace the right Ctrl key with a Copilot key without offering any BIOS or Windows setting to change it back.

(As always, running third-party tools may potentially harm or render your device unusable. Proceed with caution!)

Interestingly, the developer listed up to 9 different ways people use the right Ctrl key with a combination of other keys to boost productivity on their PCs, including to move the cursor to the beginning or end of a document, launch a new browser window, move the cursor between words, and more.

The developer explains in detail how the utility works till it eventually restores the right Ctrl key functionality. It's possible that many users will find this utility quite useful, especially those against Microsoft's big push for AI in Windows 11.

I'm not a big fan of the controversial Windows keyboard change, either.

I’d argue that I’m so accustomed to having the Ctrl key in that spot that replacing it with a dedicated Copilot key feels awkward and unfamiliar. I guess I’m just set in my ways.

💬 Do you ever use the Copilot key on your PC?

In 2024, Microsoft launched Copilot+ PCs alongside a handful of crazy next-gen AI features, including Windows Recall, Click To Do, Improved Windows Search, and more.

The company described the device as a sophisticated piece of hardware that ships with a dedicated NPU (neural processing unit), which is designed to perform tasks faster than GPUs and CPUs by taking on small repetitive processes so that a computer can work more efficiently when fulfilling AI-driven requests. Another telltale sign is that the device also features onboard Copilot software and a dedicated Copilot button.

While market analysts predict that PC shipment trends are on an upward trajectory, primarily due to a concoction of Windows 10's death and AI PC hype, it remains unclear if there's an actual need for a dedicated Copilot key in these devices.

However, Microsoft hasn't been shy about its Copilot+ PC campaign, using Windows 11 coupled with next-gen AI features to get users to upgrade, following Windows 10's death. It's even made bold statements like "Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs" .

In January, Microsoft announced its plan to improve the general sentiment around Windows 11 based on user feedback. The software giant is already making good on its promise by bringing back features like the capability to move and resize the Taskbar.

The company is also planning to address major pain points across the operating system, including reevaluating its AI strategy. Our Senior Editor, Zac Bowden, recently reported that the company has scrapped its plans to integrate Copilot into notifications and Settings on Windows 11 as part of its broader strategy to reduce bloatware across the operating system.

Do you use the dedicated Copilot key on your Windows 11 PC? Let me know in the comments.

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Recently, Microsoft announced Copilot Health, a separate, secure space inside Copilot that pulls together medical records, data from your wearables, and lab results, so users can get clearer, personalised explanations of their data.

Many initial reactions to this are understandable: Should I trust Microsoft with my health data? I can’t answer that for anyone else, but I do want to offer one thing the announcement didn’t: a real, personal example of how I already use Copilot as a supplement to my medical care and how it changed the course of my treatment.

How I used Copilot — the short(ish) story

For years, I’ve had intermittent pain in my upper right abdomen. It started in my teens, flared after pregnancies, and was repeatedly dismissed as hormonal. I’ve sat in out‑of‑hours clinics, been told it was “probably” related to my cycle, and left without any meaningful investigation despite the pain being nowhere near my pelvic region.

Eventually, I got fed up and started asking Copilot the kinds of questions I didn’t always feel confident asking a doctor.

It didn't leap to the worst-case scenario, as a web search engine often does, which can bring up the most sensational results. It asked follow‑ups, looked for patterns in my symptoms, and ultimately suggested I request an ultrasound. I used the phrasing Copilot suggested in my e‑consult so my GP would see exactly why I was requesting this, along with a cohesive history of my symptoms and things that had already been investigated and ticked off the list.

This all led to an ultrasound that found multiple gallstones and a long‑standing digestive dysfunction that explained the pain I’d had for two decades. My gallbladder is basically like a bag of marbles with no negative space left within it, that have been forming since I was an adolescent. The ultrasound technician even commented that he was struggling with the scan and was surprised I had been referred this late.

I’m now on a waiting list for surgery within the next 12 weeks. Throughout the process, I fed Copilot my blood tests and reports; it helped demystify the results and gave me a clearer way to talk to my doctor. I'm not great at advocating for myself when faced with a man in a white jacket.

I’m not saying Copilot diagnosed me. I’m saying it helped me ask for the right test. A test no doctor had ordered for me in twenty years.

Why this matters beyond my experience

People are already using Copilot for health questions. The usage report shows over 50 million health queries per day. Microsoft makes clear the company sees this as an extension of how people already use AI to make sense of medical information, not as a replacement for clinicians.

The product is explicitly consumer‑facing and framed as a conversation aid, with Copilot Health touted as a tool to help people prepare for appointments and translate medical jargon — something that could help you and your doctor find the next steps rather than replace clinical judgement altogether.

Those points align completely with my experience. Copilot simply gave me some tips and told me what to ask for to move my investigation along.

Trust, privacy and the tradeoffs

Concerns about data leaving its intended source are real, and I don't want to minimize that. Microsoft says Copilot Health will keep health data isolated in a secure environment and give users control over permissions, but those promises will need scrutiny as the product rolls out.

At the same time, the NHS (UK healthcare) and other public bodies have had their own data incidents, so the risk of any third party holding sensitive information is not unique to Big Tech. For me, the tradeoff is worth it. This is a tool that actually helped me get a diagnosis after twenty years, versus the abstract fear of a data breach. That’s a personal calculation for me and me alone; others will reasonably decide differently.

Our site’s reader survey and the chart we attached to our news coverage on this, so far, shows 33% of respondents said they would trust Microsoft with their health data, and 67% said they would not.

What this means for readers and clinicians

For patients, we should underestimate AI as a powerful prep tool. If it helps you clarify symptoms or phrase a request for a specific investigation, that can shorten the path to diagnosis. You can go into your appointment more prepared and more confident to be assertive and request a more targeted approach to your symptoms.

Clinicians should expect more patients to arrive with AI‑generated summaries or suggested next steps. I'm sure that while in some cases this will save time, it could create friction if the doctor disagrees, but ultimately the patient can at least have it on record that they have asked for something, and it can be documented as to why that wasn't the chosen route if the clinician distrusts the source. Either way, it changes the dynamic of the consultation.

As hyperbolic as it sounds, my experience with Copilot was life‑changing (though time will actually tell once I've been through the surgery). That doesn’t settle the privacy debate, nor does it mean Copilot Health is the right choice for absolutely everyone and every scenario, but I do fully support it as a great jumping point for better medical care.

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Would you trust AI with your medical information? That's the question that many will ask when seeing the announcement of a new tool from Microsoft called Copilot Health.

But I'm here to tell you that people already trust AI with their health information, so the first question many will come up with is moot — or at least not the most important question.

There are two main questions: can Copilot Health help people who already turn to AI tools, and can Microsoft be the specific company people trust with their medical data?

The fragmentation fix

Copilot Health gathers together medical data from multiple sources to provide context and battle against fragmentation. Health records, wearable data, and health history can all be brought into the tool.

Over 50 wearable devices, including Apple Health, Oura, and Fitbit, can feed data into Copilot Health. Health records from over 50,000 hospitals in the United States also provide information such as visit summaries, medication lists, and test results.

In its announcement post, Microsoft explained that "Copilot Health doesn’t replace your doctor." The company emphasized that the tool "makes every minute you have with them count more."

Data often comes into the hands of medical professionals in pieces. Copilot can gather that information together to provide context and help experts see the entire picture.

"Our health data is so fragmented. It's a bit like having your health as a puzzle, but then scattering all the pieces," said Dr. Xiao Liu, MD PhD, Clinical Research.

"Being able to join all of that gives us a more complete picture of what's affecting your health."

Copilot Health uses information from health organizations across 50 countries. Responses generated by the tool will include citations and links to source material as well as answer cards from Harvard Health.

Improving access to healthcare data

Copilot Health is also about expanding access to medical information and expertise. "If we're serious about... health as a human right, we need to have it in a forum and a platform that can reach everyone," said Dr. Vik Sounderajah, MD MSC, Clinical Product.

Copilot Health also makes it easier to find a doctor who accepts your insurance if you're in the United States.

"A well-designed AI system can combine the breadth of knowledge of a generalist physician with a deep domain knowledge of a specialist." Dr. Chris Kelly, MD PhD, Clinical Product

Gathering data and providing contextualized care can improve the quality of healthcare and streamline efficiency, which could result in more patients being seen.

People already ask the web about their health

The reality is that people are already asking AI and web tools health-related questions. I'm not here to argue about the state of healthcare systems around the world. I'm just stating a fact; people rely on the web for answers about important health questions.

Microsoft's 2025 Copilot Usage Report revealed that the company already responds to 50 million health queries per day. That's just one company. I'm sure the number is much higher if you grouped questions asked to Google and AI tools from other companies.

If people are going to rely on the web and AI tools to answer health-related questions, it's important to have tools that use reliable information and that are grounded in sound sources.

Security vs. Medical Utility

I understand and agree with concerns about feeding medical information into AI tools. Your personal health data is as private as anything about you, so there needs to be guardrails and protections in place.

If Microsoft can ensure the security and privacy of information fed into Copilot Health, it could be an invaluable tool to medical experts.

When using AI for anything, it's important to have a human confirm results and look through the data. When looking at medical information for real people, that process becomes even more important.

Microsoft's video outlining Copilot Health emphasizes a goal of getting people to the right medical experts or doctors.

Any medical insight generated by Copilot Health would be overshadowed by insecure data storage or management. Microsoft called the tool "Safe and Secure by Design" and explained that Copilot Health conversations and data are isolated from general Copilot.

Safeguards have been put in place, and encryption is used to protect data as well.

Microsoft is leaning hard on "Safe and Secure by Design" here, and while isolation from general Copilot is a start, we have to look at the track record. It’s hard to ignore that the same company asking for your hospital records is the one that’s dealt with high-profile breaches, such as those reported on by Geekwire, and zero-day exploits over the last few years.

Shortly after findings by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella penned a post titled, "Prioritizing security above all else."

That post used the same "Secure by Design" phrase that's seen in the Copilot Health announcement post. "If you’re faced with the tradeoff between security and another priority, your answer is clear: Do security," said Nadella.

🤔 Would you trust Microsoft, specifically, with your medical data?

Less than two years after that post, Microsoft is now asking people to send medical data to Copilot Health. Does Microsoft's commitment to "Secure by Design" make you comfortable enough to share your medical data with Copilot Health? Let us know in the comments below and share your thoughts about AI and healthcare.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Yes, Copilot is still here, and Microsoft 365 (Office) is now expanding it with 'Wave 3'. If you missed the concept of its waves in the first place, they essentially refer to the batch rollouts of major features for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Wave 1 was the initial introduction of Copilot in Microsoft's Office apps, with the AI assistant first appearing in documents, emails, and presentations. Wave 2 expanded Copilot across Microsoft's ecosystem, introducing new collaboration tools like Copilot Studio and deeper integration across Microsoft 365.

Now Microsoft is moving into Wave 3, which allows users to build their own AI agents directly within Microsoft 365 apps to help with their specific daily workflows, alongside new capabilities in apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook (via Microsoft).

The company is also introducing Microsoft 365's premium 'E7' bundle — the "First Frontier Suite". It bundles the existing top-tier 'E5' enterprise subscription with advanced security, analytics, and compliance tools, alongside Copilot, and a new Agent 365 offering into one package.

What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 3?

This update brings improvements to Copilot’s chat features, allowing users to easily modify documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and emails directly from the chat interface. Plus, Microsoft is introducing Work IQ, a new intelligence layer that uses an organization’s data, collaboration history, and internal content to help Copilot better understand the context of your specific workplace.

Copilot is also adding support for additional models, including Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's GPT. Eventually, we'll see an introduction to Copilot Cowork, which is currently in preview, allowing AI agents to carry out longer, multi-step processes over time rather than responding to single prompts.

And finally, there's that new Agent 365 addition, which is essentially a management platform for organizations to monitor and govern their tailor-made AI agents. Agent 365 will release on May 1, 2026, and will cost $15 per user — that "Frontier Suite" E7 bundle will also launch on May 1, 2026, at $99 per user, including Agent 365, Microsoft Entra, Defender, Intune, and Purview.

🗨️ Will your business use these new Copilot additions?

Whether you like Copilot in Windows (Microsoft has at least eased off consumers and is no longer pushing it quite as aggressively), it's definitely here to stay on the Microsoft 365-led business side.

At least this latest software expansion could prove useful for some businesses eager to adopt agentic AI, potentially easing tedious, repetitive workloads and freeing up time for more important, human-driven tasks.

With all that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last week, it looked like Microsoft was getting ready to ship a new AI-powered software bundle for Microsoft 365, dubbed E7, which would include Microsoft Copilot and a new AI agent hub — Agent 365.

Well, Microsoft has now confirmed that the rumored AI-centric E7 subscription tier does exist and is slated to launch on May 1. Plus, the Agent 365 platform for managing AI agents across Microsoft 365 and third‑party services is also slated to ship to broad availability on the same date, priced separately at $15 per user per month.

The software giant describes the complete E7 bundle as "the First Frontier Suite," which will cost $99/user/month. Previously, I had described Microsoft's new AI-powered package as "the E5 enterprise tier, but with AI offerings on top."

Since Microsoft’s AI‑powered E7 subscription tier includes both Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agent 365, the $99 price point might feel like a bargain, or, as The Register's reporting on Gartner's research puts it, “priced below purchasing these capabilities à la carte.”

💬 Will the new tier offer value to Microsoft 365?

According to business research firm Gartner, the discount on Microsoft's new E7 subscription tier isn't as impressive as it might seem, as it only trims 13.2%. Its analysts believe that "bigger bundles should get bigger discounts."

Perhaps more interestingly, it says that Microsoft 365's E3 and E5 subscription tiers give more value for money with better discounts regarding what they have to offer.

In that, Microsoft seemingly shipped Microsoft 365's new AI-powered subscription tier to meet the need for a plan "with multiple tools stitched together" over what Microsoft 365 E5 has to offer.

Microsoft 365 E7 ships with productivity and security apps, Microsoft Copilot, and its new AI agent hub right out of the gate. Still, skepticism surrounds the subscription tier, particularly the Agent 365 offering, which Gartner calls "a work in progress with limited net new functionality to justify its $15 pupm [sic] price point."

Microsoft’s $99 E7 premium tier launches May 1. Do you think it’s worth the price? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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At the start of 2026, Microsoft indicated that it was reevaluating its AI strategy following backlash from users about its approach to integrations in Windows 11, like adding Copilot buttons across its longest-standing apps, including Notepad and Paint.

While it isn't clear what Microsoft's plans look like and how it might streamline Windows 11's overall experience, the company has seemingly been moving in the right direction, shipping multiple Copilot-themed features over the past few weeks, including Copilot Tasks, which my colleague, Jez Corden, labeled as "actually useful" — that's progress!

And as it now seems, Microsoft is developing a dedicated screenshot tool for Copilot. According to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, entry ID 558105 will: "Give users a fast, built-in way to capture screenshots and include them in Copilot prompts, helping them communicate visual context more easily and receive more accurate, actionable assistance." (via Neowin).

The details shared offer only a rough idea of how the feature might work, but they highlight Microsoft’s push to essentially streamline workflows if you choose to use Copilot. While it's expected to ship to desktops first, Neowin speculates that its availability will eventually be spread across all Copilot integrations in the Microsoft 365 suite, which certainly seems realistic.

More recently, Microsoft began testing a new Copilot feature that lets users open links within the app's side pane. It’s a handy addition for bolstering productivity and enhancing the user's browsing experience, but it also potentially doubles as a way to nudge more users toward Edge. Elsewhere, Outlook gained its own Copilot upgrade, which automatically reschedules meetings when conflicts arise.

🗨️ Is Copilot getting a miniature Windows Recall?

In 2024, Microsoft unveiled a wave of next-gen AI features in Windows 11, including Windows Recall, Live captions, Windows studio effects, and more, as part of its big push for Copilot+ PCs.

Windows Recall was perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch — not only because it captures everything you do on your PC through snapshots to let you (securely) search them later. Rather, privacy and security concerns still surrounded the feature, making it quite controversial.

However, Microsoft addressed the AI-powered feature's pain points by making it an opt-in experience (disabled by default), improving its security with encryption and Windows Hello authentication, and integrating a filter system that blocks sensitive information like passwords and credit card details from being captured in snapshots.

It's hard to discount any apprehension that may arise with Copilot's new screenshot tool, even though you'll presumably have to tell it to capture images. Nevertheless, if the history of Recall is anything to go by, then Microsoft must have learned its lesson and will likely apply the same privacy safety principles.

I’m half conflicted. Microsoft has argued that ChatGPT isn’t better than Copilot — you’re just not using it as intended, blaming weak results on poor prompt engineering. If screenshots become part of the mix, that leaves a lot up to the AI's interpretation, or at least serves as a visual aids that strengthen prompts and improve Copilot’s output. Only time will tell when I can try it for myself.

What do you think about Copilot's new screenshot tool? Let me know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In the latest edition of "AI features that are actually useful," Microsoft Copilot will soon be able to reschedule your meetings if a conflict arises. A new feature in Outlook will allow the app to reschedule personal appointments and one-on-one meetings if a higher priority meeting needs that time slot.

A Tech Community post explains how the feature works and outlines some use cases:

"Imagine you have a recurring check-in meeting, but it doesn’t have to be at the exact same time each week. Just ask Copilot to manage the meeting: It will keep an eye on your calendar and reschedule the event if you schedule or accept another meeting at the same time."

The feature allows you to set dates and times that are acceptable for rescheduling. A notification within Outlook will let you know when a meeting has been moved.

You can choose not to specify the best alternatives dates and times, but doing so will yield worse results, according to Microsoft.

To make sure the feature works, you need to set an event's status to "Busy" or "Out of office."

Microsoft is still working on this feature, so it has some limits. For example, if you create a recurring event with the new Copilot feature turned off, you cannot enable the feature for a specific instance of the series.

The feature is currently rolling out to Teams, Outlook for the web, and new Outlook for Windows users. A Microsoft 365 Copilot Enterprise license is required to have Outlook reschedule meetings automatically.

🗨️ How do you use AI?

AI receives a lot of hate, and much of it is justified. The effects of AI span across several industries and have personal and environmental impacts at a massive scale.

But AI is here to stay, so I think we should encourage healthy and useful uses of the technology. This new Outlook feature is a small addition that makes everyday life a bit easier.

How do you use AI in your everyday life? Let us know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has had many nicknames over the years, but few have stuck quite like “Microslop.” The term gained traction as it invested heavily in AI, with some users growing concerned about the direction of Windows and the increasing push to ship AI features without much user choice.

Now, in the official Copilot Discord server, it appears Microsoft has had enough. The company has blocked the term “Microslop,” preventing users from posting it in the community, if only briefly.

Microsoft blocks “Microslop” in Copilot Discord

Thanks to reporting by WindowsLatest, we have seen proof that Microsoft, or at least someone on the Copilot team managing the newly launched Discord server, had blocked the term “Microslop.”

After joining the server myself, it appears that since WindowsLatest reported on the situation, the term has been re-enabled. However, the server remains in chaos, with users spamming a range of content, including material that is not safe for work.

While “Microslop” is currently no longer blocked, many users had already attempted to bypass the filter using variations of the word during the time the term was blocked anyway.

This ultimately led to the server being temporarily locked down. Although it now appears accessible again, the community feels largely unusable in its current state, and it is difficult to see that changing any time soon.

When the server first launched in December 2024, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), promoting the server, users were initially engaging in far more constructive discussions, according to WindowsLatest. Now it seems to have attracted the attention of people frustrated with AI’s growing presence in Windows, and it is not hard to understand why.

Copilot does not appear to be seeing the level of adoption that Satya Nadella and Microsoft might suggest. Despite billions being invested into AI, and other areas of the company such as Xbox facing pressure, reports indicate that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 users actively use Copilot.

Satya maintains that usage is growing, claiming nearly three times year-over-year growth. However, growth figures can sound impressive in isolation, and tripling a small base does not necessarily translate into widespread adoption.

I have made my thoughts on AI clear since it became a standard part of daily life. While I recognize there are genuine use cases, particularly in medicine and science, its broader utility outside those fields still feels largely unproven, at least to me.

🗨️ So where do you land? Have you joined to riot or are you a quiet bystander like myself?

Are users overreacting, or is this a sign that frustration with AI in Windows is reaching a tipping point?

Let me know in the comments, and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

There's a new Microsoft Copilot feature now in preview, and it might actually be the first actually useful feature the team has added since Copilot debuted.

Microsoft Copilot is what you might call the redheaded stepchild of artificial intelligence chatbots. ChatGPT is still the top player, despite a huge and ongoing campaign to ditch OpenAI following the platform's capitulation to the U.S. Department of War. Anthropic's Claude is on the up and up, buoyed by a principled stance against autonomous AI weaponry and mass surveillance of citizens. Google Gemini has had a big boost in recent months owing to deep integration with existing Google monopolies, and even xAI often finds itself far more capable than Microsoft Copilot. Is that about to change?

A new feature is now live in preview for Microsoft Copilot, called Copilot Tasks (announced last week), and it might solve at least some of the feature gaps present in Redmond's flawed AI debut.

Oftentimes, when I try to use Copilot, it'll return to me with frustrating "I can't do that" statements. I'm not sure if Microsoft is deliberately limiting what Copilot can do in attempts to avoid litigation or regulatory scrutiny in Europe, but offering the same prompts to ChatGPT, Claude, or even xAI usually returns more useful results.

As of writing, Microsoft Copilot doesn't have broad access to the web, at least in Europe. I asked it just this weekend to pull the top ten stories and URLs from Windows Central so I didn't have to navigate and find them manually, but it disappointingly told me that it wasn't able to search the web to find those URLs, asking instead for me to provide them (lol). Previous research attempts I've made offered similar denials. I asked it to find historical share prices for certain tech companies for research I was doing, only to be told Copilot once again can't search certain websites or parse certain data types. This new feature might be gearing up to change that — and much more.

Similarly to how tasks are structured in Claude and xAI's Grok, Copilot Tasks will create step-by-step prompts to itself for how to achieve your requests, including being able to browse the web, apps you've given it permission to connect with (such as OneDrive and Outlook), and even leverage Microsoft apps like Word and Excel. Additionally, like Copilot 365, you'll be able to schedule these tasks to run at specific intervals. I could ask it to generate a report on the latest stocks, for example, and put them into a spreadsheet.

Task bots are becoming a big deal. OpenAI purchased agent-focused OpenClaw almost immediately after it went viral, and other platforms are also exploring this "agentic" approach to AI with mountains of investment. However, they can also come with big risks. OpenClaw bots, for example, recently deleted a Meta VP's entire email inbox without her permission.

Microsoft says Copilot Tasks will wait for human intervention before acting on "anything sensitive." Indeed, Microsoft has generally moved more slowly in this space, particularly after the Windows Recall backlash, but perhaps it'll lead to safer products as a result ... maybe?

In any case, this is the first Microsoft Copilot feature I've seen that, if it worked as advertised, might be something I'd actually want to actively use. I already use IFTTT to automate a lot of tasks for Windows Central and my XB2 Podcast, even before LLMs existed. If Copilot Tasks is basically IFTTT on steroids, I'm eager to see if it'll actually give me the productivity boost all of these AI companies claim their products are supposed to enable. What do you think?

If you want to check out Copilot Tasks, you'll need to join the preview waiting list over here.

Poll: Does Copilot Tasks seem like something you might use?

Being able to schedule laborious tasks like collecting URLs or finding timestamps in my podcast seems like something that I might find useful in Copilot Tasks, but I'm not sure I'd trust it with access to my emails and the like ...

Is Copilot Tasks something you might be interested in using? Let us know in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft just unveiled Copilot Tasks, a new AI tool that the company says it has been building towards since Copilot first launched. Copilot Tasks is the moment Copilot evolves from a chat app to a "do" app, something you can use to automate and get tasks done.

"Copilot Tasks is a to-do list that does itself. You describe what you need in natural language. Copilot plans and goes to work. You adjust or refine as needed," says Microsoft. "Tasks works in the background, with its own computer and browser, across various apps and services, and reports back when it’s done. Tasks can be recurring, scheduled, or run once based on your needs. "

Here's a breakdown of everything Copilot Tasks can do, with examples:

• Recurring Tasks 
  • Every evening, surface urgent emails with draft replies ready to send, and automatically unsubscribe from promotional mail I never open 
  • Track new apartment rental listings nearby every Friday and book showings 
  • Monday mornings, compile a briefing on key meetings, travel, and analyze how I am spending my time vs. my priorities 
• Document Generation 
  • Turn a syllabus into a complete study plan, with practice tests created and focus time blocked before each exam 
  • Transform emails, attachments, and images from your mailbox into a polished slide deck with charts and talking points 
  • Compile new job listings that match your experience and tailor your resume and cover letter for every role  
• Shopping, Services and Appointments 
  • Plan a birthday party, find and book a venue, send invites, and collect RSVPs
  • Find top-rated plumbers near you, compare quotes, and book the best one
  • Watch used car listings 24/7, contact dealerships, and book a test drive 
• Logistics 
  • Reserve a ride timed to your flight, adjusting if the flight is delayed 
  • Monitor hotel rates and auto-rebook when the price drops 
  • Organize your subscriptions, flag the ones you don’t use, and cancel them 

Microsoft is clear that this isn't an autopilot feature; it still puts you in total control, giving you the chance to sign off on and agree to any changes or commitments it makes on your behalf. "Tasks is designed to ask for consent before taking meaningful actions like spending money or sending a message," and you can pause/cancel any AI task at any time.

Copilot Tasks is able to bring in everything the AI might need to complete an action, based on the information it has access to. "No more bouncing between your calendar, files, browser, and half-finished to-dos. Copilot Tasks pulls everything together so you can go from idea to results without the speed bumps," reads the Copilot Tasks website.

It's not clear how Copilot Tasks differs from Copilot Actions, another AI feature that Microsoft has launched in recent months, which is capable of completing tasks on your behalf. It sounds like Copilot Tasks is able to do more things behind the scenes, whereas Copilot Actions is something that happens in front of you.

Unfortunately, Copilot Tasks is in a limited research preview at this time, meaning it's not yet available to the public, though a public waitlist is available to join, and Microsoft expects to open up access to the program in the coming weeks.

👉Join the waitlist to be among the first to try Copilot Tasks, and Microsoft will notify you when you’ve been invited into the testing program.

💬 What would you actually use Copilot Tasks for?

Microsoft just rolled out Copilot Tasks, an AI tool that can pull action items from your emails, chats, and meetings and turn them into an organized to‑do list without you lifting a finger. It can even build full task lists from a simple prompt and keep everything updated as new information comes in. The idea is to cut down on the constant sorting, typing, and tracking that usually eats up half the day.

Some people love the idea of an automated task list, others aren’t sure they want AI deciding what belongs on it, and plenty are wondering how well it will work in real workflows. Since this feature is meant to sit right in the middle of how people plan their day, your perspective matters.

How do you feel about an AI that builds and maintains your to‑do list for you?

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is introducing an AI watermark policy for Microsoft 365, controlled through its Cloud Policy service. In a post-AI world, that is not necessarily a bad thing. More transparency is generally a positive move.

Right now, the feature applies to just audio content generated or altered using Copilot and other AI tools within Microsoft 365, with watermarked videos set for next month.

For now, the policy must be manually enabled by administrators. The watermark also cannot be customized, so its wording and placement will remain fixed.

Even if you decide to leave the watermarking feature disabled, the content will still contain metadata indicating that Copilot was used.

How Microsoft’s AI watermark policy works

The policy itself is managed through the Cloud Policy service for Microsoft 365, and can be found under the “Include a watermark when content from Microsoft 365 is generated or altered by AI.” That gives organizations control rather than leaving decisions up to individual users.

For watermarking to apply, administrators must manually set the policy to Enabled. It is not switched on by default.

If the policy is set to Disabled or left as Not configured, no visible or audible watermark will be added to video or audio content.

The scope is also specific. It applies only to video and audio content generated or altered using AI within Microsoft 365. It does not extend to every file type.

There is also little room for customization. Admins cannot change the wording or placement of the watermark, so what Microsoft provides is what users will see or hear.

It is also important to clarify that this policy does not apply to images, that’s its own separate thing. Image watermarking is handled separately and is controlled at the user level instead.

Even if an organization chooses not to enable visible or audible watermarks, Microsoft still embeds additional details into the content's metadata, but this is just for images as of now, and they’re working on doing the same for audio and video.

That can include which AI model was used, which app generated the content, and when it was created.

Audio watermarking is already available. Video watermarking is expected to roll out in March 2026.

I don't personally rely on Copilot, and my own experiments with AI have occasionally produced some odd results. Just recently, I was told the AMD RX 9070 XT was not a real GPU when asking a hardware question, despite having one sitting inside my computer.

Still, these changes make sense. In a world where AI-generated content is becoming increasingly common, more transparency is hard to argue against. Oh, and it also does not yet apply to Government cloud contracts, and I don’t know how I feel about that admission.

💬 Passing it over to you!

Do you think AI-generated content should always be clearly labeled in tools like Microsoft 365? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 has received backlash from users, primarily because of Microsoft's decision to integrate generative AI across every layer of the operating system. As a result of Windows 11's reputation and general sentiment around it by users, the software giant announced that it is pumping the brakes on Windows 11's AI push, approaching tools like Copilot AI and Windows Recall with a different strategy.

Interestingly, Microsoft recently published a blog post highlighting the best productivity apps for Windows to help users get more work done (via Windows Latest). While the company hasn't categorically indicated that the apps featured in the list are arranged in any particular manner, Copilot got the first honourable mention.

The company says Copilot AI helps users handle tasks more effectively and efficiently by drafting messages, turning notes into checklists, and even summarizing emails.

Microsoft Sticky Notes, Clock app, File Explorer, OneNote, Microsoft To Do, Windows Calendar, and Microsoft Edge's productivity features also made it to the list.

But reports suggests no one is using Copilot

If recent reports are anything to go by, pretty much no one is using Microsoft's Copilot AI. According to a report from The Information, the company's sales representatives are struggling to meet their goals, primarily due to a lack of demand.

Microsoft dismissed the concerns, but the numbers tell another story. In its FY26 Q2 earnings report, CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Copilot AI usage has surged, growing nearly 3x year-over-year.

However, a separate report suggested that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot Chat actually pay for it despite the company's massive $37.5 billion on its AI-themed efforts in the last quarter.

We asked Windows Central's readers to participate in our poll and share if they were actively using Microsoft Copilot. The results were quite interesting, 27% of our readers who participated in the poll indicated that they use Copilot every day, and another 27% indicated that they don't use AI at all.

According to SuperLDClark, "I can honestly say that Copilot is my most used feature within Windows next to the browser. It helps me manage my business, kids and school, and is a tremendous help to me as a head coach and commissioner of a youth soccer club. Please ignore the haters and keep up the great work Microsoft."

Per the comments on that article, it's apparent that people have different use cases for AI, including generating memes, while some don't interact with the technology entirely.

Let's hear what you think

Microsoft is calling Copilot the future of productivity on Windows 11, but the data suggests most people aren’t actually using it. So we want to hear from you: Is Copilot part of your daily workflow, or is Microsoft trying to force a feature people never asked for? Drop your experience below — honest takes welcome.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Generative AI has evolved from mere chatbots that generate text and images based on prompts. The technology is now more sophisticated, and its impact can already be seen in the job market, with executives from top AI research labs like Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei claiming that it's on the verge of phasing out entry-level white-collar jobs as soon as 18 months from now.

However, AI hasn't completely reached its prime time, primarily due to reluctance from some users to adopt it into their workflows, citing privacy and security issues. The latest example comes from Microsoft itself, where it has identified a bug impacting 365 Copilot Chat, allowing the service to access and summarize confidential emails without consent since late January.

According to Microsoft: "The Microsoft 365 Copilot 'work tab' Chat is summarizing email messages even though these email messages have a sensitivity label applied and a DLP policy is configured. Users' email messages with a confidential label applied are being incorrectly processed by Microsoft 365 Copilot chat." (via BleepingComputer).

Microsoft began rolling out Copilot Chat across its productivity tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, for users with a Microsoft 365 license, aiming to make Copilot a personal AI assistant for work.

The bug, tracked under CW1226324, impacted Copilot Chat and allowed the service to incorrectly access, read, and summarize emails saved in a user's inbox, across their sent and draft folders, which included messages explicitly labelled as confidential to restrict unauthorized access by automated tools.

Microsoft has narrowed down the issue to an unspecified code error, indicating that it already began rolling out a fix for the bug at the beginning of February 2026. "A code issue is allowing items in the sent items and draft folders to be picked up by Copilot even though confidential labels are set in place," the software giant added.

The company is monitoring the situation closely and is even reaching out to affected users to establish whether the fix is working. It's still unclear when Microsoft will complete the rollout of this fix. What's more, it hasn't categorically indicated how many users were impacted by this issue.

So, my take is that AI might seem like a productivity booster, alleviating the effort factored in to handle repetitive and redundant tasks, but it still feels too half-baked to be fully implemented into our workflows with the trust to maintain a high standard of professionalism (and confidentiality).

Over to you

Microsoft admits Copilot exposed confidential emails due to a bug. Do you still trust AI? Let me know in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In a move that is perhaps less surprising than you might think, Microsoft seems to be readying up to dump OpenAI.

Right now, Microsoft's entire AI operation is powered by ChatGPT and other OpenAI models, including DALLE 3. Microsoft has shown impressive growth and demand for its enterprise-grade AI tools, including things like Microsoft 365 Copilot and Github Copilot, even if its consumer-level efforts have largely fallen flat.

Microsoft and OpenAI are long-rumored to have endured something of a tumultuous relationship. Microsoft was a very early investor in OpenAI, and won itself some incredibly lucrative contracts as a result, including some forms of exclusivity over OpenAI's models. Indeed, Microsoft still holds 27% of the new "for profit" arm of OpenAI, and maintains IP rights for OpenAI's models until 2032.

However, Microsoft and OpenAI re-worked aspects of the deal last October, freeing up OpenAI to seek compute from competing cloud firms, and allowing Microsoft to divest itself of some of the endlessly spiralling risk.

OpenAI is notoriously on the hook for over a trillion dollars in future compute spend contracts, with big tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Softbank, and others artificially propping up the company. Run by Sam Altman, OpenAI has been mired in almost constant controversies, its balance sheet notwithstanding. The firm has so far made zero dollars, and requires near-constant cash injections to stay afloat.

Things may be about to get even rockier for OpenAI, as Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman just confirmed to FT (paywalled) that the firm is gearing up to ditch OpenAI's models.

“We have to develop our own foundation models, which are at the absolute frontier, with gigawatt-scale compute and some of the very best AI training teams in the world," Suleyman said of the move, which potentially casts another shadow over OpenAI's future.

Microsoft's comms chief Frank X. Shaw noted that the firm will continue to collaborate with OpenAI, elaborating that Microsoft's home-grown models will be used for "specific things." "We are in a multi-model world," he said on X. "OAI has a huge role for us AND we are building frontier models for specific things we want to do as well."

Microsoft has already been investing in some of OpenAI's competitors, including Anthropic, but now plans to launch its own frontier-grade models "some time" in 2026. The move essentially makes Microsoft a direct competitor to OpenAI and other similar firms, as all of big tech tries to wrap its collective head around what this post-AI future might look like. It's potentially another blow for Sam Altman's outfit, after NVIDIA snubbed suggestions it would be investing $100 billion in the firm, despite earlier rumors.

In the full FT piece, the Google Deepmind co-founder Suleyman struck an optimistic tone about how AI could "benefit humanity," while in the same breath, suggesting that all white collar work will be automated within two years. I'm sure if you're a white collar worker, you'll be thrilled to hear that. Microsoft says it aims to use AI to improve and optimize healthcare, putting a focus on building "medical super-intelligence," and stating that soon, AI tools will be self-improving and near fully autonomous in their behavior. Microsoft has put a big emphasis on AI agents in its Azure tools, which allow users to automate prompts and workflows while adopting corporate and legal compliance.

The public maintains a generally negative sentiment about AI, despite the skyrocketing amount of people actively using the tech. Although, few actually pay for it. Microsoft itself has been the target of the "Microslop" meme, where users mock the firm's haphazard implementation of AI features into Windows 11. Investors also handed Microsoft a multi-biillion dollar rout over the last few weeks, nervous that the capital expenditure on AI infrastructure isn't justified in reality.

Irritations aside, there are real concerns about AI blowing up society. Despite these fears of economic upheaval and mass job losses, none of the big AI companies are slowing down. If anything, they're speeding up. The ethical concerns are seeing OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies are shedding researchers and staffers at a persistent cadence — many of whom leave dire warnings in their wake. Just yesterday, I wrote about an OpenAI quitter who penned a familiar op-ed, full of dark portents about AI tech damaging, or even destroying society.

On such fears, Suleyman remained upbeat.

"We have to reset that and make the assumption that we should only bring a system like that into the world, that we are sure we can control and operates in a subordinate way to us. These tools, like any other past technology, are designed to enhance human wellbeing and serve humanity, not exceed humanity."

I'm not sure I believe you, Mr. Suleyman.

Will we see Microsoft's AI models eventually compete with Gemini and ChatGPT? Or will Microsoft keep the benchmarks private like it does with its current experimental MAI models? Let us know your thoughts.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is gradually (we stress gradually) rolling out a new "Reminders" feature for Copilot, bringing the chatbot closer to the feature set of rivals like Google Gemini (with Tasks) and OpenAI's ChatGPT. The feature is now available on Android and iOS, with limited support on the web. However, you can also create reminders from the Copilot app on Windows 11.

The Reminders feature lets you configure Copilot to send alerts at a specific time or after a set duration. For example, you can ask the chatbot to remind you to cancel a subscription, prepare for a meeting, or complete a task later in the day. Copilot uses the device's local time and date, enabling reminders to trigger within minutes if needed.

If you want to create a reminder, you can do this from anywhere the chatbot is available. However, notifications will only be delivered to mobile devices where the Copilot app is already installed. If notification permissions are disabled on Android or iOS, alerts will not appear.

Setting up reminders with Copilot

If you want to create a reminder from the web version of the chatbot, you can click on your profile menu and choose the "Reminders" option, and then click the "Create a reminder" button to trigger the prompt and continue with reminder creation.

If the feature is enabled for your account, you can use Copilot in Windows 11 to set reminders simply by asking the AI to track specific tasks for you.

Regardless of where you create the reminder, you'll only see the alerts on your mobile device.

Copilot supports both one-time and recurring reminders, allowing users to automate repeated tasks. For example, users can ask Copilot to send a reminder every Monday to review a presentation before a weekly meeting.

Microsoft says (via Windows Latest) that reminders can also support dynamic content, meaning the reminder message itself can change each time. An example would be asking Copilot to teach a new Portuguese word every day.

Although virtually anyone with an account can access this feature, free Copilot users can create up to 5 reminders, and Microsoft 365 subscribers can create up to 20.

And if you don't see this feature yet, like much of the Windows Central staff, don't worry, as we're sure it'll eventually get to everyone in the coming days and weeks as Microsoft ensures it's working as intended.

Will this replace your current reminder app, or is the 5-reminder limit a dealbreaker? Let me know in the comments how you plan to use Copilot's new dynamic alerts!"

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently indicated that Copilot's user base has grown “nearly 3x year-over-year” during an earnings call, including AI chats, the news feed, search, browsing, shopping, and “integrations into the operating system.” It's unclear how much revenue the company is actually generating from the offering.

However, a new report suggests that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot Chat actually pay for it (via The Register). In contrast, Microsoft spent a whopping $37.5 billion on its AI-themed efforts, according to the company's latest financial earnings report for FY26 Q2.

Despite investor doubt and concern, Nadella indicated Copilot is"becoming a true daily habit," further citing "record" AI momentum. Microsoft's report on Copilot adoption and growth looks good on paper; it factors in approximately 15 million paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats, which translates to 160 percent growth year-over-year.

However, the report doesn't categorically indicate that a huge chunk of Microsoft 365 users have access to the AI-powered chatbot for free, which, as highlighted by Directions on Microsoft analyst Mary Jo Foley, could roughly translate to 450 million users.

As such, beyond the bundled Microsoft 365/Office 365 deals and discounts, Copilot's paid user base is relatively small when compared with Microsoft's broad customer base. More importantly, the software giant's splurge on AI doesn't seem to be attracting similar returns.

In 2023, Microsoft launched its 365 Copilot offering as a $30-per-user, per-month add-on, which it marketed as an AI-powered productivity tool integrated into Word, Outlook, Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The tech giant is seizing this moment to set itself apart from rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. It touts Copilot as an AI agent with the capability of acting on behalf of users, searching internal documents, and analyzing meetings and emails.

Interestingly, Microsoft CFO Amy Hood dismissed claims about the company's spending and investment in AI not paying off, further indicating that judging its spend solely on the growth of its Azure cloud business is "the wrong yardstick."

Windows Central recently reported that Microsoft is reevaluating its AI strategy in Windows 11, which could involve streamlining or even removing features users don’t find valuable. That review may include Copilot integrations in apps like Notepad and Paint.

While it might still be too early to tell, Microsoft's decision to walk back its Windows 11 AI overload might be a result of backlash from users or investor concern over its exorbitant spending on AI with negligible returns to show.

Microsoft recently announced its financial earnings report for FY26 Q2, reporting $81.3 billion in revenue (up 17% YoY) and $38.3 billion in operating income (up 21% YoY). While impressive, investors have raised concerns about the software giant's spending on data centers and AI infrastructure.

Consequently, the company's shares fell about 6% in after-market trading after announcing its financials. Microsoft has spent $72.4 billion on capital expenditures so far, but CEO Satya Nadella insists that the company's spending on AI is actually paying off.

Nadella indicated that Copilot's daily user base has grown “nearly 3x year-over-year” during the earnings call, including AI chats, the news feed, search, browsing, shopping, and “integrations into the operating system.” (via TechCrunch).

For context, the company spent $88.2 billion on capital expenditures last year. The executive indicated that most of the capital has been channelled to serve AI to enterprises and major AI labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic.

As a result, investors remain hesitant to commit funds to Microsoft’s costly AI initiatives, voicing concerns that growth in Azure and Microsoft 365 applications has fallen short of expectations.“The fact that BOTH Azure and the M365 segments fell a bit short is the key negative we’re hearing,” Wall Street analyst for UBS, Karl Keirstead, added.

While generative AI has evolved from mere chatbots that can generate simple images and text based on prompts, multiple users have expressed their reluctance to adopt the technology, primarily due to privacy and security issues.

Last year, a damning report by The Information detailed that Microsoft's internal AI efforts were taking an unexpected turn with projected cuts and sales goals for its Azure AI products across the board.

The report further claimed that Microsoft's salespeople were struggling to meet goals, primarily due to the lack of demand for its AI products. While market share trends told a different story, Microsoft denied the claims.

Nadella has indicated that Microsoft's GitHub Copilot also saw significant growth and is now up 75% year-over-year with 4.7 million paid subscribers. Microsoft 365 Copilot enjoyed similar success with 15 million paid seats, acquired by companies for their employees, which represents a base of 450 million paid seats.

Microsoft 365 Copilot now has 15 million paid seats, acquired by companies for their employees. This represents a base of 450 million paid seats, the company stated.

To that end, Microsoft disclosed that OpenAI accounts for approximately 45% of the highlighted commitments, but its net income increased by $7.6 billion from its investment in OpenAI. As such, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella seems to think the company's vast spending on AI infrastructure and data centers is in order.

Is Microsoft’s Copilot AI really flying high? Share your thoughts in the comments and cast your vote!

OpenAI's Sam Altman seems to have received a hard dose of reality from somewhere, as ChatGPT's wanton money-digestion is coming to an end.

Yesterday, OpenAI formally announced that it will begin bringing ads to ChatGPT. The ads will appear at the bottom of chats for free and "Go" subscription users. Users on higher tiers won't see them (for now at least).

OpenAI claims that it won't sell your data to third parties, and that there will be ways to opt-out of using conversations for ad personalization. But, it's a uniquely interesting moment for ChatGPT and OpenAI for a variety of reasons.

OpenAI has been under immense pressure from Google Gemini, whose latest models have seen it leapfrog ChatGPT in some benchmarks. Investors have increasingly become aware of Google's powerful position with regards to AI, controlling the entire stack from server tech and cloud, to endpoints via Android, Chrome, and Google.com itself.

ChatGPT finds itself on something of an island, reliant almost entirely on apps to find users and third-parties to find compute, chiefly Microsoft and Azure. It has hundreds of millions of monthly active users and various major enterprise contracts, but its balance sheet is nowhere near approaching any semblance of profitability. Yet, it's on the hook for over a trillion dollars of compute commitments in the next decade, and that money certainly has to come from somewhere.

Investors have clearly gotten tired of waiting for AI to show pathways to profitability. Microsoft's own share price has seen a downward trend over the last couple of quarters, as capital expenditure seems to be outpacing the raw economics of the now. Microsoft's products are powered by ChatGPT and other OpenAI models, and it has found success with products like Github Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot integrations. Fortune 500 companies tend to prefer Microsoft for its expertise in regulatory compliance, as well as its industry-leading position in corporate security. Nation states use Microsoft Copilot (for better or worse), owing to perceptions around its capacity to remain insulated and secure from the wider web.

Google, Microsoft, Meta, and other major tech companies can self-cash flow its AI development and infrastructure build out, but ChatGPT relies entirely on funding rounds from venture capital firms, Wall Street, and big companies like Microsoft. ChatGPT's balance sheet reads like a sci-fi horror novel, and the mood seems to be shifting away from hype and towards hard realities.

ChatGPT's ads were rumored for a long time, and felt inevitable in the end. There are various examples throughout history of companies offering products for free to create habitual behavior in their customers, only to eventually move hard towards profitability. Given how rapid ChatGPT burns cash given its astronomical costs and inefficient products, ads were always the most logical conclusion. The same is more than likely true for Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and other similar AI products — there's no such thing as "free," as we all know.

I realize the irony of writing this on a website that has more than its fair share of ads, but I don't think anyone ever suggested blogging without ads would ever make for a viable way to make a living. Altman, however, did say at a previous event that "ads were a last resort as a business model" for OpenAI. Does that mean we're in "last resort" territory for the entire company?

"I kind of think of ads as a last resort for us as a business model. I would do it if it meant that it was the only way for us to get everybody in the world access to great services ... but if we could find something that doesn't do that, I prefer that." Altman said during the 2024 XFund Experiment Cup.

It seems an alternative was never found.

The same is most likely true for Microsoft Copilot, which is not only free on Windows 11 and the web, but also provides free access to some of OpenAI's more advanced models that typically require a subscription.

"I kind of think of ads as like a last resort for us as a business model," - Sam Altman, October 2024 from r/singularity

One of Microsoft's big existential issues as a business has revolved around figuring out how to monetize those "free" users. A user on Windows who doesn't subscribe to OneDrive, Xbox Game Pass, or Office 365 is effectively useless to them. Apple iOS and Google Play-based Android are harvesting cash from their users via app purchases and in-app purchases. Microsoft has always kept Windows open to its credit, but it's also why we're seeing "enshittification" factors creep into the OS. If a user won't pay for services, then at least there's some telemetry and data to harvest from them, right? But it's also why Windows has become pretty unpopular despite boasting hundreds of millions of users, and operating an effective monopoly in desktop computing. The bloatware, ads in the shell, and aggressive positioning of its own apps and services have weighed on perceptions of the OS.

But even for Microsoft, things aren't exactly getting cheaper. Shareholders are demanding revenue to rise in line with inflation, and Copilot seems like an obvious additional vector for ads and "personalization," by which Copilot offers products based on what it knows about you from your conversations.

Increasingly it feels like chatbots were less about boosting our productivity and more about having a more effective method than social media likes and cookies for figuring out what kind of ads and products to sell to us. But maybe I'm cynical.

It'll be interesting to see how Google and Microsoft position their AI chatbot services with consumers, in a world where ChatGPT ends up as cluttered with ads as something like Instagram. But hey, Instagram is pretty popular despite all the ads, so despite the backlash on socials today, I suspect 99% of ChatGPT users actually don't care.

But ... is it enough to set OpenAI on a path to profitability, or even long-term basic sustainability before investors get tired of waiting? Time will tell.

Will Microsoft move forward with its plans to evolve Windows into an agentic OS despite backlash from users? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Following OpenAI's impressive launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, Microsoft invested billions into the AI research lab and integrated the technology into its tech stack. The company shortly after launched Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) to rival OpenAI's offering.

While Microsoft has made elaborate measures to improve Microsoft Copilot's capabilities, there are still incidents where the tool gets out of character by outrightly generating wrong responses or otherwise hallucinating.

In a recent bizarre incident, Copilot hallucinated and made a major mistake about a football intelligence report (via The Verge). Copilot generated information about a non-existent football match between West Ham and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The erroneous report prompted the police to classify the match as "high risk." Consequently, British law enforcers blocked Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the UEFA Europa League match last year on November 6. The move received a lot of backlash and criticism from fans, attracting the attention of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The chief constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, previously denied that the police department used AI to generate the intelligence report, shifting blame to “social media scraping” for the error. But Guildford recently came clean, admitting that:

“On Friday afternoon I became aware that the erroneous result concerning the West Ham v Maccabi Tel Aviv match arose as result of a use of Microsoft Co Pilot [sic].”

He further admitted that Copilot provided wrong information about the football match. And while the game was non-existent, information was used to make critical decisions, including the police barring Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the game against Aston Villa.

While speaking to Business Insider, a Microsoft spokesman indicated:

"Copilot combines information from multiple web sources into a single response with linked citations. It informs users they are interacting with an AI system and encourages them to review the sources."

Guildford apologized to the parliamentary committee looking into the bizarre incident for lying that AI wasn't used to generate the intelligence report that informed the police department's decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the game:

"I had understood and been advised that the match had been identified by way of a Google search in preparation for attending HAC. My belief that this was the case was honestly held, and there was no intention to mislead the Committee."

When launching Copilot, Microsoft clearly states that "Copilot may make mistakes," but is this enough to avoid such instances in the future?

Can you fully trust AI without doubts that it might lead you astray? Share your thoughts in the comments

Data security research firm Varonis Threat Labs has published a report that details an exploit it calls "Reprompt" that allowed attackers to silently steal your personal data via Microsoft Copilot.

Reprompt "gives threat actors an invisible entry point to perform a data‑exfiltration chain that bypasses enterprise security controls entirely and accesses sensitive data without detection — all from one click," Varonis Threat Labs says.

Using this exploit, an attacker would simply have to have a user open a phishing link, which would then initiate a multi-stage prompt injected using a "q parameter." Once clicked, an attacker would be able to ask Copilot for information about the user and send it to their own servers. For example, the attacker could gather information such as "which files has the user looked at today?" or "where is the user located?"

Additionally, Varonis Threat Labs says this exploit is different from other AI-driven security exploits, such as EchoLeak, as this exploit required just a single click from the user, with no further input required. It could even be exploited when Copilot was closed.

Q parameters allow "AI-related platforms to transmit a user's query or prompt via the URL," explains Varonis Threat Labs. "By including a specific question or instruction in the q parameter, developers and users can automatically populate the input field when the page loads, causing the AI system to execute the prompt immediately."

So in this case, an attacker could issue a q parameter that asked Copilot to send data to an attacker's server. Out of the box, Copilot was designed to refuse to fetch URLs like this, but Varonis Threat Labs was able to engineer the prompt in such a way that bypassed Copilot's safeguards and convinced the AI to fetch the URL to send data to.

According to Varonis Threat Labs, the exploit was reported to Microsoft in August 2025 and has been patched as of January 13, 2026. That means the exploit is now fixed, and there's no longer any risk of this impacting users.

AI assistants are not bulletproof, and this is unlikely to be Copilot's last security vulnerability to be discovered by security researchers. Always be wary of the kind of information you share with AI assistants about yourself, and more importantly, always be vigilant when it comes to clicking on links, especially ones that link into your AI assistant of choice.

On January 8, 2026, Microsoft and PayPal announced that they had partnered to create Copilot Checkout — an AI shopping experience where you don't have to leave Microsoft's Copilot AI chatbot to make purchases.

This is one of the latest moves toward agentic AI, specifically in the realm of agentic commerce services, which is a future where AI programs autonomously help people with tasks based on their behaviors, such as shopping.

Microsoft's official announcement states:

"Copilot Checkout will enable merchants to reach shoppers as they complete purchases discovered directly within Copilot without being redirected to external sites. Copilot Checkout turns conversations into conversions — instantly. No redirect, no friction, and merchants stay the merchant of record... Trusted partners enabling this experience include PayPal, Shopify and Stripe. Shoppers will be able to purchase from leading retail brands such as Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Ashley Furniture, and discover unique and handmade items from Etsy sellers with many more joining soon."

For example, imagine you're in Copilot asking the AI chatbot for a good furniture recommendation. After getting some details from you to know what you're looking for, Copilot might suggest a specific set that meets your needs. You can then click on the recommendation and immediately see how much it will cost with shipping and tax, complete with a button that allows you to pay via PayPal. And it all happens without leaving the chatbot.

As part of this new service, Microsoft revealed that retailers can influence their Brand Agents to reflect a "brand's voice" when giving shopping guidance. It seems there will be an opt-out window, but otherwise, merchants at Shopify and other participating commerce sites will automatically get enrolled in this Copilot Checkout experience.

So why are companies making this shift toward agentic AI and AI-shopping experiences? As you probably already know, AI has been one of the biggest focuses for major companies over the last few years. They're in a race to figure out the best new agentic AI possibilities before their competitors do. And, changing consumer behaviors have also encouraged these new services.

According to Adobe, the 2024 holiday season saw an increase of 693% when it came to AI-driven purchases. As such, it makes sense that this could be the next stop on many AI-focused companies' roadmaps.

Copilot Checkout is rolling out now in the U.S, so you can try it out for yourself once it becomes available.

How do you feel about Copilot Checkout and agentic AI? Is this something you like and want to see more of? Tell us about it in the comments.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has outrightly indicated that the company is shifting its focus from Bill Gates' software factory vision to zeroing in on intelligence, integration, and AI. It's no secret that the company has gone ham on AI, practically integrating generative AI across its entire tech stack.

In 2024, Microsoft insiders lamented about the company's obsession and fixation on AI, with a high-ranking executive referring to most Copilot AI tools as gimmicky.

According to a Microsoft insider:

"There is a delusion on our marketing side where literally everything has been renamed to have Copilot it in. Everything is Copilot. Nothing else matters. They want a Copilot tie-in for everything."

Earlier this week, multiple reports emerged online indicating that Microsoft had rebranded Office to Microsoft 365 Copilot. The reports have stirred up some confusion among users. But this isn't the case...

The confusion appears to stem from Microsoft’s Office.com domain. For context, the Office website was renamed to Microsoft 365 in 2022. In January 2025, the company rebranded the hub again to Microsoft 365 Copilot, allowing users to still leverage the platform to access core Office productivity suite apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, alongside Copilot.

As our news writer, Sean Endicott, puts it:

"The Microsoft 365 Copilot app (formerly Office) lets you create, share, and collaborate all in one place with your favorite apps, now including Copilot," says the welcome message when visiting office.com.

While speaking to The Verge's Tom Warren, Microsoft 365's senior director of marketing indicated:

"We've not made any recent naming changes to our Office apps. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — the office apps within the Microsoft 365 suite productivity suite — remain unchanged. In November 2022, we renamed only the Office 'hub' app for web and mobile to the Microsoft 365 app. In January 2025, we updated it to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to reflect its role in bringing Copilot and Microsoft 365 productivity experiences in one place."

That said, Microsoft hasn’t rebranded Office as Microsoft 365 Copilot. The suite of apps remains available through the Microsoft 365 subscription, which has remained unchanged since its 2022 rebrand.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft's Copilot branding strategy? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll!

The fact my first article of 2026 is about artificial intelligence is probably tone-setting for what will be another year dominated by AI news and headlines.

It's hard to avoid right now, particularly if you're a user of Microsoft ecosystem products. Every single app, service, and product Microsoft has on the market now has some kind of AI integration, regardless of quality and usefulness.

Microsoft Copilot is the tip of the spear for the firm, powered entirely by ChatGPT and Microsoft's savvy early investments in OpenAI. Its interface is pre-installed now on Windows PCs, and has a commanding position on most mobile app stores as of writing. It's nowhere near as widespread as OpenAI's ChatGPT service, though, and advancements in Google Gemini sees Microsoft's old arch rival rapidly outpacing the competition — particularly in enterprise integrations, where Microsoft has its sights primarily set.

The oft-forced, oft-useless Microsoft Copilot integrations on Windows and other consumer products have people exploring alternatives more so than ever before. Entire governments are abandoning Windows for Linux, and there's more interest in Linux consumer-grade distros than any time I can remember. Despite the noise about the degradation of quality in Windows, the price gouging on Xbox, and the apparent abandonment of Surface — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made no mention of any of them in a recent post (via LinkedIn) to close out the year.

If you had any illusion that Microsoft might address concerns about any of its major product categories in 2026, Nadella's "Looking Ahead to 2026" article offers an insight into the company's focus for the new year, and yep, it's all about AI.

"As I reflect on the past year and look toward the one ahead, there’s no question 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI. Yes, another one," Nadella opines. "But this moment feels different in a few notable ways."

"We have moved past the initial phase of discovery and are entering a phase of widespread diffusion. We are beginning to distinguish between “spectacle” and “substance”. We now have a clearer sense of where the tech is headed, but also the harder and more important question of how to shape its impact on the world."

Nadella is, of course, correct that AI is becoming ubiquitous. Some estimates suggest that AI tools are used daily by upwards of a billion people, and it will only continue to rise in the coming year. I'm not sure I agree that it's moving beyond its "spectacle" phase. AI discourse continues to to be dominated by memes, disinformation, hallucinations, and a near-total, and potentially dangerous lack of profitability. Multiple billions of dollars in ethereal commitments, often described as the "AI bubble," has many leading economists nervous.

Nadella also claims in the piece that AI will be a "scaffolding" for human potential, rather than a substitute. I can't help but think this is either naively utopic, or at worse, wilfully dishonest. The vast rush of AI investment revolves entirely around Wall Street's hunger for automation — replacing "expensive" humans with cheap robots and facsimiles. Microsoft itself laid off tens of thousands last year, while boasting 30% of its code was now being written by AI. It certainly hasn't led to a visible increase in productivity, quality, or customer satisfaction.

Still, Nadella claims that we'll move away from "models" to "systems" that lead to real world impact in 2026, noting that it will require "engineering sophistication" to find AI's real world value. At a reach, I can only hope this means Microsoft's AI features in Windows will evolve to actually become useful. Today you need prompt engineering expertise or custom tools to make Copilot even vaguely useful at home, even before you consider having to fact-check everything it claims. Features that should be simple like generative editing in Microsoft Photos or generating subtitles in Microsoft Clipchamp straight up don't work.

Indeed, in closing, Nadella seems to admit that AI doesn't truly have "societal permission" right now, referencing widespread backlash and mockery that continues to dog the technology.

"We need to get beyond the arguments of slop vs sophistication," Nadella laments, emphasizing hopes that society will become more accepting of AI, or what Nadella describes as "cognitive amplifier tools." "...and develop a new equilibrium in terms of our “theory of the mind” that accounts for humans being equipped with these new cognitive amplifier tools as we relate to each other."

There is research that AI use may actually harm cognitive ability by the way. But I digress.

AI is important for the company's future — but the hyper-fixation is almost weird

"We need to make deliberate choices on how we diffuse this technology in the world as a solution to the challenges of people and planet," Nadella says. "For AI to have societal permission it must have real world eval impact."

I'm not sure if it's cynicism on my part, I constantly question myself with regards to discussions on this tech, but Nadella once again comes across as naïve here. And it reminds me of his fling with the "Metaverse" of previous years — another tech buzzword buried in the graveyard of overhype alongside things like NFTs and LaserDisc.

If you go back and listen to Satya Nadella's comments on "the metaverse" from just a few years ago, you'll see what I mean. It was all about holograms, heads-up displays, and other products that ultimately went nowhere. A cloud of fluffy technobabble and utopic thinking — that served only to trick investors into thinking Microsoft was at least somewhere on the curve.

Of course, now we know it was as unreal as the holograms themselves. Even Apple failed here, scaling back production of its ridiculous Vision Pro headsets. Facebook, who literally rebranded its company to Meta for this, is also sacrificing its VR aspirations on the pyre of AI to the tune of wasted billions. To Microsoft's credit, it hardly went all in, likely sensing that it was set to be a fad. But it certainly doesn't seem to be treating AI with the same sense of caution.

Nadella has shown himself to be an incredibly savvy businessman, playing Wall Street with confident utopic promises atop a roaring and seemingly infinitely potential cloud business. But the attention on the share price, rather than the "real world impact" Nadella talks about, has many customers primed to abandon ship. To say Microsoft is resting on its laurels truly understates the situation here in my view, as Nadella seems to be falling into the same trap that has buried many other great businesses and brands in the past.

AI should be a pillar of Microsoft without question, but "legacy" products, like Office, Windows, and their customers is the foundation it's built on — Nadella's Microsoft truly seems to have lost sight of this. Without attending to the needs and feedback of these customers, there is no "AI" for Microsoft.

But, like the "metaverse," perhaps Microsoft isn't truly serious about any of it. And until then, I think we'll still be referring to Microsoft's integrations as "slop" for the foreseeable.

Update: After posting this article, "Microslop" began trending on social media. 🫠

Microsoft Copilot is a hot topic in the tech world right now, especially if you're a user of Microsoft products.

It feels like you can't click twice without a Copilot button being waved in your face in most of Microsoft's services. You can turn them off or uninstall them in many cases, but the rush to add Copilot AI services underpins Microsoft's oddly panicked and often incoherent strategy around the tech.

We write a lot about Copilot and AI in general, being on the Microsoft beat. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly forcing staff to adopt AI or face being pushed aside, as rumors of internal projections being cut create questions around the business. There is a general sense of negativity around AI if you look at social media, at least. LG and Microsoft came to a deal to incorporate Copilot in its TVs recently, but the ensuing backlash forced LG to give users an opt-out.

Microsoft's early investment in OpenAI has been hailed as one of the most forward-thinking in recent history, and gave Microsoft a commanding position over its leading AI models, powering ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. Google seems to be forging ahead, though, as the big competitors keep leapfrogging each other in performance benchmarks.

Either way, AI is and remains controversial ... but it's almost certainly here to stay. Which is why I want to hear from you: Are you actively using AI today?

Microsoft Copilot certainly has its uses. I use it personally almost daily for format shifting primarily. It's a useful tool for organizing large walls of text from a =TEXTJOIN() spreadsheet function and quickly turning it into something more readable without jumping through Excel hoops. It can be useful to recap information on the web too, as long as you double check the facts for hallucinations. Copilot in Azure and Github has found its audience in businesses of all shapes and sizes too. The ability to silo corporate information within Azure and maintain legal compliancy with data protection laws gives Copilot an edge for use in governmental, legal, and financial institutions for example.

It's also irritating at times too. Microsoft's "AI" features in Photos for example, barely work. Copilot is still prone to providing sycophantic, and often outright incorrect information. It's also monstrously expensive to maintain, with a business model whose long-term viability is often questioned. The tech is responsible for ballooning RAM prices, an increase in carbon emissions, and turbo-charging misinformation and spam bots.

I tend to use Microsoft Copilot partially because I write about Microsoft products and services, but it's hard to overlook how integrated some of the competing options are. In the past, Microsoft had a coherent ecosystem of products and services where Copilot might've made more sense, particularly where mobile is concerned. Since it's now effectively locked only to PC, I suspect many users are opting for services more prevalent, and crucially, more integrated on mobile, such as Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Even Samsung AI offers better tools than Copilot in a lot of cases, particularly with image and video editing.

Many analytics firms suggest that Copilot is actually one of the most heavily used out there, albeit far behind ChatGPT. But there's clearly some semantics to be discussed here, given that Copilot is, in itself, powered by ChatGPT.

I'm curious how you guys are using Microsoft Copilot, if indeed you are using it at all. And if you're not, which services are you using instead? Hit the comments, and let us know.

It's no secret that pursuing generative AI is an expensive venture; this can be narrowed down to the technology's exorbitant demand for computing power and the talent required to make sophisticated advances.

It's amid emerging claims that scaling laws have begun to stop, preventing top AI labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google from developing advanced AI models. Microsoft and OpenAI recently renewed the terms of their multibillion-dollar partnership under a new definitive agreement, which allows the software giant to pursue AGI independently or in collaboration with third parties.

And as it now seems, we might have just gotten a vague idea of what it might cost to keep up with the ever-evolving AI industry.

During a recent episode of the Moonshots with Peter Diamandis podcast, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman indicated that it will cost "hundreds of billions of dollars" to keep up with frontier AI development over the next 5-10 years. (via Business Insider). "Not to mention the prices that we're paying for individual researchers or members of technical staff," the executive indicated.

Interestingly, the executive compared Microsoft to a "modern construction company" with hundreds of thousands of workers building gigawatts of CPUs and AI accelerators.

The executive indicated that the cost required for frontier AI model development, but admitted that "clearly there's a structural advantage by being inside a big company."

However, Microsoft isn't throwing in the towel on AI anytime soon. According to a leaked internal memo, CEO Satya Nadella is seemingly ushering in a new dawn for Microsoft with a keen focus on intelligence, integration, and AI. The executive admitted that Bill Gates' software factory vision might have worked for decades, but it's no longer enough.

Nadella is reportedly pressuring high-profile executives to work faster and leaner on AI projects or leave the company. Insiders indicated that Microsoft is attempting to fly a sinking ship with "gimmicky" AI tools while other products take a backseat.

Following Microsoft's new agreement with OpenAI, AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman indicated that "Microsoft needs to be self-sufficient in AI. And to do that, we have to train frontier models of all scales with our own data and compute at the state-of-the-art level."

Microsoft has already formed a new MAI Superintelligence team to pursue this feat.

This news comes as investor interest in generative AI has begun waning, as they continue to question the billions plunged into the industry without a clear path for revenue generation.

It will be interesting to see Microsoft venture into its next chapter with a bias in AI despite the capital issues that abound. Mustafa Suleyman also indicated that Microsoft would jump ship on its AI projects if it poses a significant threat to humanity, aligning with his campaign for humanist superintelligence.

Do you think Microsoft will eventually come out on top in AI? Let me know.

Microsoft appears to be taking an all‑gas‑no‑brakes approach to AI development under CEO Satya Nadella’s leadership.

According to an internal memo exclusively obtained by Business Insider, Nadella is reportedly pressuring high-profile executives and teams to "work faster and leaner — all designed to consolidate power around AI leaders and radically reshape how the company builds and funds its products".

In August, Microsoft's CEO indicated that Bill Gates' software factory vision for the company is dated. While it may have played a role in the tech giant's immense success, Nadella believes it's time to move on from this mentality and embrace new strategies, particularly in the realm of AI. "That idea has guided us for decades," indicated Nadella. "But today, it's no longer enough."

The company is seemingly shifting its focus from solely software development to intelligence, integration, and AI as it unlocks a new chapter. However, Microsoft executives are having a rough time adjusting to the new reality.

Speaking to Business Insider on the condition of anonymity, a Microsoft executive indicated that "Satya is pushing on intensity and urgency." As a result, some Microsoft veterans are in a tough spot, battling over whether to stay the course and power through the workload needed to bring Satya Nadella's AI dream to fruition or leave the company. "You've gotta be asking yourself how much longer you want to do this."

Amid reports suggesting that virtually no one is using Microsoft Copilot, prompting investors to raise concerns about returns on their multibillion-dollar investments in the seemingly elusive and ever-evolving technology, the plans aren't letting up.

It's reported that Nadella is having conversations with executives across the company to sign on for the transformation or depart. Nadella has already made elaborate measures to ensure that his AI vision for Microsoft takes off.

For instance, Microsoft execs told Business Insider that the new appointment of Judson Althoff as CEO of the company's commercial business was a well-calculated move by Satya Nadella:

Satya Nadella reportedly launched a weekly AI accelerator meeting and a dedicated Teams channel to help bolster and accelerate the company’s AI efforts. He’s also using these platforms to share distinctive ideas.

Business Insider's Ashley Stewart reported that executives don't make presentations during these meetings; instead, junior technical fellows are encouraged to contribute and share their thoughts about the AI and its trajectory.

Elsewhere, the damning report also indicated that there might be some major shakeups in Microsoft's top management, with Rajesh Jha, lead of Microsoft's Office and Windows, and Charlie Bell, the cybersecurity boss, set to retire in the foreseeable future. However, Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw seemingly dismissed these claims, indicating that there are no expected changes in the company's senior leadership in the short term.

Coincidentally, a separate report from last year highlighted Microsoft insiders' doubts about the company's AI strategy and its perceived fixation on the technology. Some indicated that the company was attempting to fly a sinking ship with Copilot, while a high-ranking executive referred to some of Microsoft's AI tools as "gimmicky" because they barely work.

In March 2024, DeepMind and Inflection co-founder Mustafa Suleyman joined Microsoft to lead its AI division, focusing on advancing Copilot and other consumer AI products and research.

Microsoft has been heavily invested in the generative AI landscape, especially after making a $1 billion investment in OpenAI back in 2019. Since then, the AI firm has remained closely aligned with Microsoft, despite Bill Gates initially discouraging CEO Satya Nadella from investing. "You're going to burn this billion dollars," Gates warned.

Investors have raised concerns about defining a clear profitability path in the ever-evolving sector amid billion-dollar investments. More recently, a damniing report suggested that Microsoft's internal AI efforts aren't paying off, prompting the company to cut sales goals for its Azure AI products across the board. The report further detailed that virtually nobody is using Microsoft's AI products.

Microsoft and OpenAI renewed their vows under a new definitive agreement after months of tension and pressure from investors to evolve into a for-profit venture. As part of the new arrangement, Microsoft is now free to pursue artificial general intelligence (AGI) independently or with third parties. Additionally, OpenAI can't prematurely declare AGI to sever its ties with Microsoft unless an independent expert panel verifies the claim.

It now appears the company may slow AI development if it comes at humanity’s expense. During a recent interview on Bloomberg’s The Mishal Husain Show, Suleyman indicated:

“We won’t continue to develop a system that has the potential to run away from us. And yet, I think it’s kind of a novel position in the industry at the moment."

Microsoft has made significant headway in the AI space with Mustafa Suleyman at the forefront, pushing for humanist superintelligence. The executive has been promoting the development of AI systems strictly designed to serve humans.

"Microsoft needs to be self-sufficient in AI," Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman. "And to do that, we have to train frontier models of all scales with our own data and compute at the state-of-the-art level."

Prior to the new definitive agreement with OpenAI, Microsoft had essentially foregone chasing AGI and superintelligence to access the firm's flagship technologies.

Microsoft, Suleyman said, had essentially forfeited those rights in exchange for access to OpenAI’s latest products, one element of a partnership that had the company building and fitting out data centers on OpenAI’s behalf for years.

Interestingly, the executive took a neutral stance on its competitors' efforts in the AI landscape. “Everybody has to decide what they stand for and how they operate, and I don’t want to judge how they’re operating right now,” Suleyman added.

Even as Microsoft moves forward with its plans to evolve Copilot into a real-friend companion that ages, the executive admits that the chatbot can make mistakes sometimes and that it's still in development.

This news comes amid multiple reports in the past claiming that there's a high probability the tech could lead to existential doom. AI safety researcher and director of the Cyber Security Laboratory at the University of Louisville, Roman Yampolskiy, previously indicated that there's a 99.999999% probability AI will end humanity, according to the p(doom) scale.

Generative AI-powered chatbots have been heavily integrated across virtually every platform that we interact with. Microsoft has been notorious at this, especially ever since its multibillion-dollar partnership with OpenAI. The company even wants to evolve Windows into an agentic OS despite backlash from users.

Copilot has already been heavily integrated into Windows 11, with its presence heavily felt across the user experience, though it's been part of an ongoing debate about whether users view it as useful or just bloatware.

Late last month, Microsoft announced that Copilot is leaving WhatsApp. The tool shipped to WhatsApp in late 2024 to help users connect their AI companion in a "familiar and everyday setting".

However, this will no longer be the case following recent changes to WhatsApp’s platform policies, which explicitly dictate the removal of LLM chatbots from the platform. As such, users will no longer be able to use Copilot directly from WhatsApp from January 15, 2026. By extension, OpenAI’s ChatGPT will also stop working on WhatsApp after the highlighted date.

While speaking to TechCrunch, a Meta spokesman indicated:

“The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates. Our focus is on supporting the tens of thousands of businesses who are building these experiences on WhatsApp.”

This means Meta will no longer permit third-party AI chatbots from companies like Microsoft and OpenAI to use its API as a distribution platform. Instead, Meta appears to be doubling down on its generative AI business, positioning Meta AI services and products to uniquely leverage WhatsApp’s vast user base.

Microsoft says that users can continue using Copilot across other platforms, including Windows, the web, and the mobile app for Android and iOS.

As Microsoft continues its crusade toward turning Windows 11 into an AI OS, the company has launched a video campaign on social media where popular YouTubers and influencers show off the latest Copilot for Windows 11 capabilities. But one video has users baffled as the ad seemingly showcases Copilot incorrectly telling the user what to click.

The video is about how Copilot can help users find settings on Windows 11. In the video, the user says, "Hey Copilot, I want to make the text on my screen bigger." Copilot shows the user where to begin clicking, but then fails to go all the way and tell the user the rest of the steps to actually change the size of text.

The user is then forced to ask, "Can you show me where to click next?" before Copilot highlights the scaling option and explains that adjusting this setting will change the size of text, apps, and other on-screen UI elements. The user then asks, "What percentage should I click?" and Copilot tells the user to select 150%, which is already selected.

In the video, the user just ignores Copilot's suggestion and selects 200% to get their desired result. But even still, the user had asked how to change the size of text, not the UI. Windows has a built-in accessibility option that lets you change text size without adjusting UI scaling, so why didn't Copilot take the user to that setting instead? It's all very confusing.

As you can expect, people in the replies are baffled. "How much did you pay him not to notice the scaling value being already selected?" says one post on X. "Marketing is doing their best with what they have to work with," says another. "He literally showed the AI was useless and chose a different option," says one quoted reply, which has amassed over 100K views so far.

In fact, a majority of the responses to this video are skewed negative. People don't understand what Microsoft is trying to achieve with this ad campaign, as it basically does everything it can to show you why AI assistants aren't the be-all end-all and how they're still quite flawed and can get easily confused.

In recent months, Microsoft has been on record as saying the future of Windows will see it become an agentic OS, which has seen massive backlash from users who are not interested in such a vision from Microsoft. A recent post about this from Windows president Pavan Davuluri was so negatively received that he had to disable replies.

People just want Windows to be a platform that gets out of the way and are becoming annoyed with all the enshittification and bloatware that needs to be turned off. Things like requiring a Microsoft Account and being bombarded to use Copilot and OneDrive are frustrating users, with many choosing to move to other platforms as constant updates change and break things.

It's fair to say that Microsoft's current vision for Windows isn't working, and people are unhappy with how the platform is evolving. The company needs to go back to the drawing board and focus on the things that people are asking for most, mainly an OS that respects your choices and isn't prone to constant bugs.

FAQ

Microsoft is OpenAI's largest backer with an approximate $13 billion stake in the business. Investors have raised concerns about the partnership, highlighting their doubts about generating profit amid claims that we're in an AI bubble that's about to burst.

Over the past couple of months, tension was at an all-time high between Microsoft and OpenAI, primarily due to the latter's plan to evolve into a for-profit venture to avoid hostile takeovers and outsider interference. Multiple reports emerged suggesting that Microsoft was holding the plans back in a bid to protect its best interests.

However, the companies recently renewed their vows by signing a new definitive agreement, which features some amendments and even new clauses. For instance, OpenAI can't prematurely declare AGI. Instead, an independent expert panel will be appointed to verify the claim.

Even if OpenAI achieves AGI before 2030, Microsoft will reserve its IP rights to the ChatGPT maker's models and products through 2032, including post-AGI models. But perhaps more interestingly, the software giant can now dabble its foot in the AGI race independently or in collaboration with third parties, which could be bad news for OpenAI.

Since the announcement of the new definitive agreement between Microsoft and OpenAI, the former has doubled down its efforts in the generative AI landscape. More recently, Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, revealed that the company was actively pursuing superintelligence, but with a twist, which clearly dictates that the technology will strictly be designed to serve humans.

The company also announced its new MAI Superintelligence team, designed to chase after the benchmark. While speaking to Business Insider, Mustafa Suleyman revealed that the team will focus on building and developing a "world-class, frontier-grade research capability in-house".

This comes as a surprising change of pace, especially since the executive was dancing to a different tune at the beginning of the year. Suleyman revealed that Microsoft is developing its own custom off-frontier models that would be 3 to 6 months behind OpenAI. "Our strategy is to really play a very tight second," the executive added.

According to a person with close affiliations and knowledge about Microsoft and OpenAI's previous agreement, the tech giant was seemingly restricted from pursuing AGI on its own through 2030. This would allow OpenAI to maintain a healthy lead in the AI race against its competitors while it leveraged Microsoft's vast cloud computing resources.

However, Microsoft still lost its exclusive cloud provider status when OpenAI unveiled its $500 billion Stargate project designed to facilitate the construction of data centers across the United States.

But now, under the new definitive agreement, Microsoft can participate in the AI race more aggressively. Through its new superintelligence team, Microsoft hopes to revolutionize the future across healthcare, energy, and transportation systems. And perhaps more importantly, reduce the "cost of living for billions of people over the next 10 years," according to the company's AI CEO.

Microsoft makes this move as the race toward AGI has become more complicated, with multiple reports suggesting that the technology has hit a wall due to a lack of high-quality content for model training.

However, Microsoft seems up to the task, with Suleyman indicating that the company plans to make major investments in compute through partnerships with NVIDIA. It also plans to double down on its custom chips and cloud infrastructure for AI model training.

But what's certain is that Microsoft has affirmed its stance on building advanced AI models and technology that could constitute AGI or superintelligence to serve and remain under the control of humans. According to Mustafa Suleyman:

"That should be something we all take for granted, but it actually needs to be stated and repeated, and it needs to be the No. 1 most important thing that humanity focuses on. There's a risk with these systems that they get extremely smart and run away from us, and we have to design them so that they don't do that. That requires a humanist intent, which keeps humans at the top of the food chain."

That said, the company is keeping an open mind in regard to what models it uses across its tech stack, which may include open-source offerings from Anthropic ot even OpenAI. "There's no reason for us to be religious about that," Suleyman concluded. "Obviously, we're very focused on getting our products working."

FAQ

Last week, Microsoft and OpenAI renewed their AI vows by signing a new definitive agreement amid immense pressure for investors on the latter to evolve into a for-profit entity. Following the ChatGPT maker's recapitalization, Microsoft, its largest backer with a $13 billion investment, now holds a $135 billion investment in OpenAI's public benefit corporation (PBC), which translates to approximately 27% of the company on an as-converted diluted basis.

The agreement also featured some interesting clauses. For instance, OpenAI won't be able to sever its ties by prematurely declaring AGI (artificial general intelligence).

Instead, an independent expert panel will be appointed to verify the claim. And even so, Microsoft’s IP rights for both models and products have also been extended through 2032, including post-AGI models.

But perhaps more interestingly, Microsoft is at liberty to pursue AGI independently from OpenAI or in collaboration with third parties. As it happens, the software giant is already exploring this route, as per a recent blog post published by Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman:

Microsoft's frontier AI research lab is seemingly actively pursuing humanist superintelligence, which aims to deliver "all the goodness of science and invention without the “uncontrollable risks” part". This will ensure that humans have a firm grasp on the technology, making it difficult to spiral out of control.

While AGI is increasingly becoming a buzzword in the tech world with a different meaning every time it's mentioned, the classic definition sums up the term as a powerful AI system that can match human cognitive capabilities. However, Microsoft's ambition for AI is a notch higher, and it is pursuing "Humanist Superintelligence" (HSI) through its MAI Superintelligence team.

HSI essentially refers to an AI system that surpasses human cognitive capabilities across a wide range of areas, but with a slight, contractual twist. Microsoft says the technology will be conditioned to "always work for, in service of, people and humanity more generally".

The tech giant is seemingly distancing itself from the fierce AGI race and pursuing its own path in the ever-evolving landscape through HSI. According to Suleyman:

"I think about it as humanist superintelligence to clearly indicate this isn’t about some directionless technological goal, an empty challenge, a mountain for its own sake. We are doing this to solve real concrete problems and do it in such a way that it remains grounded and controllable. We are not building an ill-defined and ethereal superintelligence; we are building a practical technology explicitly designed only to serve humanity".

Superintelligence is a global team effort

But how do we keep an open-ended system with the ability of “learning to learn” safe? Suleyman says that the system will need to be contained and aligned constantly, in perpetuity. And while it might seem like a lot of work, frontier AI research labs can't take on this huge task on their own; everyone needs to get on board to ensure it remains safe and under the control of humanity. "All of humanity needs to do it, together, all the time," Suleyman added.

This is, of course, on top of the need to ensure that bad actors and some types of crazy garage tinkerers do not leverage security and privacy loopholes to cause harm. However, the executive admits that there's no concrete answer or solution that guarantees the technology will be safe:

Ultimately, Microsoft hopes to deliver an advancement to human civilization with superintelligence, which will not only place humans at the top of the food chain but also make everyone live happier and healthier lives. "Any technology that doesn’t achieve this is a failure. And we should reject it," added Suleyman.

While there have been claims that we're in an AI bubble waiting to implode, there's also a probability that the technology could revolutionize the future, changing every aspect of our lives, from work to medicine, education, and more. With Microsoft building toward superintelligence, it wants to foster a world where humans are important than AI.

"Humanist superintelligence keeps us humans at the centre of the picture. It’s AI that’s on humanity’s team, a subordinate, controllable AI, one that won’t, that can’t open a Pandora’s Box. Contained, value aligned, safe – these are basics but not enough," the executive concluded.

FAQ

Towards the end of October, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, claiming that the company misled approximately 2.7 million users into subscribing to a more expensive Microsoft 365 plan after hiking prices for its personal and family accounts.

The commission indicated that the software giant only presented users with two options: maintaining their subscriptions, which now include a Copilot integration for a higher price, or canceling the plan altogether.

However, the company didn't disclose a third option, which would have allowed users to maintain their Microsoft 365 plan with all classic features, excluding the Copilot AI integration, at a cheaper price.

Consequently, Microsoft responded to the claims, indicating:

More recently, the tech giant started reaching out to affected users about the omission of the third option to its Microsoft 365 plan, which allowed them to retain all the classic features without the Copilot AI integration, referring to it as “a subscription alternative that we could have communicated more clearly”.

According to Microsoft:

“In hindsight, we could have been clearer about the availability of a non-AI-enabled offering with subscribers, not just to those who opted to cancel their subscription.

In our email to subscribers [on Thursday], we expressed our regret for not being clearer about our subscription options, shared details about lower-priced alternatives that come without AI and offered a refund to eligible subscribers who wish to switch.”

Microsoft admitted that its communication fell short of its standards and stated that it plans to learn from the incident and improve its actions moving forward. But perhaps more interestingly, multiple users have indicated that their efforts to leverage Microsoft's offer to downgrade their M365 subscriptions and automatically get a refund have been botched.

"One would have hoped that Microsoft would have checked this before sending out the mass email, but here we are," an aggrieved user lamented. An attempt to downgrade to the cheaper tier with all the classic features was met by an error.

More concerningly, downgrading from Microsoft's expensive and AI-infused M365 tier to the Family Classic plan doesn't seem to be an option. Users can only reportedly downgrade to the Personal Classic Plan, which isn't a viable solution for those with family licenses.

A Microsoft spokesperson indicated that “some subscribers eligible for the refund received an incorrect link,” which subsequently caused the reported error. The representative issued an apology nd indicated that the issue was being fixed.

“An epic fail by Microsoft,” another user complained.

That said, while the ACCC's Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb welcomes Microsoft's apology and refund to the affected 2.7 million users, the commission will"continue to seek penalties, injunctions, declarations, effective consumer redress and costs in court".

FAQ

Over the past few months, Microsoft has made significant strides in the generative AI landscape, seemingly asserting its independence from OpenAI by unveiling two in-house AI models in August, including MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview.

The tech giant also unveiled its new in-house text-to-image generator, MAI-Image-1. More recently, Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, announced that the custom image generator is now available in Bing Image Creator and Copilot Audio Expressions. However, it's worth noting that the model isn't available in the EU, though it is expected to ship soon.

According to the executive, MAI-Image-1 excels at generating images of natural scenes, artistic lighting/photorealistic detail, and food, which sets it apart from the vast majority of larger but slower models.

That said, you can now select MAI-Image-1 as your preferred model when trying to create images on the Bing Image Creator app. However, OpenAI's DALL-E 3 image technology and GPT-4o are still available as options on the platform.

FAQ

Generative AI has evolved into more than tools that can generate responses based on text prompts. We're now seeing the technology being integrated into workflows by organizations to bolster productivity and efficiency.

Top AI labs like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google are stretching the technology's limits beyond chatbots to AI companions, which can double up as real friends with a permanent identity — something Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman refers to as an ideal utopia of a digital patina.

As we delve deeper into the AI era, more conversations about the next phase of the technology are beginning to cloud the air with the possibility of sex robots at the top of that list. Over the past few months, there has been an increase in the number of incidents of people being swayed into self-harm by chatbots like ChatGPT.

OpenAI is currently fighting a lawsuit filed by a bereaved family in court after their 16-year-old son engaged in self-harm, leading to his untimely demise after discussing suicide with ChatGPT for months.

The family claims the AI firm deliberately weakened ChatGPT's suicide prevention safety guardrails in pursuit of greater user engagement. This is amid claims that OpenAI prioritizes shiny products like AGI over safety processes and culture. Consequently, OpenAI has integrated parental controls into ChatGPT and Sora to help establish more control and safeguard young users.

Perhaps more interestingly, OpenAI recently announced that it would allow mature content on ChatGPT for adult-verified users in December. However, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman shared the company's stance as far as erotic and sex robots are concerned during a recent interview with MIT:

"We will never build sex robots. Sad in a way that we have to be so clear about that, but that’s just not our mission as a company. The joy of being at Microsoft is that for 50 years, the company has built, you know, software to empower people, to put people first."

The executive indicated that Microsoft is deliberately moving more slowly on this front than its rivals. "But I think that’s a feature, not a bug, in this age, when being attentive to potential side effects and longer-term consequences is really important," Suleyman added.

Instead, the company is focused on developing an AI system that can deliver a more meaningful relationship with its users. But Microsoft isn't being left out of the fold completely.

Through its latest AI model, Real Talk, the company delivers an tool that's a bit sasssy and checky, making the user experience more fun. However, it has clear boundaries, which allows it to push back (but not in a judgemental manner) whenever you try to flirt with it. “Look, that’s not for me.”

FAQ

Microsoft has been under scrutiny by antitrust watchdogs after rivals, including Salesforce's Slack, cited anticompetitive business practices for bundling Teams with Office 365. Consequently, the company caved to the pressure and unbundled Teams from its suite of productivity tools, avoiding a hefty fine from the European Commission.

But as it now seems, the software giant may have bigger fish to fry after the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a lawsuit against it for allegedly misleading users of its Microsoft 365 bundle (via The Guardian).

For context, Microsoft increased the subscription price for its Microsoft 365 service by 45% for personal accounts, raising the annual cost to 179 AUD as of October 2024.

The commission submits that Microsoft willingly and deliberately misled approximately 2.7 million users into thinking that they only had two options: “to maintain their subscriptions, they must accept the integration of Copilot and pay higher prices for their plan, or, alternatively, cancel their subscription.”

According to the ACCC:

“The ACCC alleges this information provided to subscribers was false or misleading because there was an undisclosed third option, the Microsoft 365 Personal or Family Classic plans, which allowed subscribers to retain the features of their existing plan, without Copilot, at the previous lower price.”

Earlier this year, The Register reported on Microsoft's plans to raise the subscription prices for its Microsoft 365 service to include the integration of Copilot AI into the services. While Microsoft indicated that it would list a "Classic" as an alternative, however, the company didn't provide more details or its availability online.

But while recently speaking to the outlet, a Microsoft spokesperson indicated:

"Consumer trust and transparency are top priorities for Microsoft, and we are reviewing the ACCC's claim in detail. We remain committed to working constructively with the regulator and ensuring our practices meet all legal and ethical standards."

However, the ACCC's chair claims that Microsoft deliberately denied its Microsoft 365 users the opportunity to make informed decisions about their subscriptions, "which included the possibility of retaining all the features of their existing plan without Copilot and at the lower price".

FAQ

Microsoft just announced Mico, a new expressive avatar interface for Copilot that will appear when you talk to it. It can emote, change shape, and float around the Copilot interface while you chat, providing a more human and interactive chatting experience.

But hidden within Mico is another assistant, one far more legendary and potentially capable. If you tap on Mico a number of times, it'll eventually turn into... CLIPPY.

Spotted by TestingCatalog on X, the Clippy avatar is fully animated just like Mico, and although it seems you can't set Clippy to be your default avatar just yet, he's always there waiting in the background for you to awaken him. Clippy has finally entered the modern AI era.

Clippy is Microsoft's original assistant. Before Copilot and before Cortana, there was Clippy, which was first introduced in Microsoft Office 97 as a way to teach users how to use Word.

When Clippy first debuted, it was dunked on by pretty much everyone. It became a joke among those in the tech world, and Microsoft eventually phased it out. Fast forward to 2025, and Clippy has gained legendary status in pop culture. It's no longer hated by the masses, but adored thanks to nostalgia.

And now, it's back, spiritually, inside Copilot. Mico is just Clippy with a fresh coat of paint, and a more advanced capability set of course. It's a fun easter egg that I appreciate Microsoft for including, harkening back to its original roots.

Now, we just need Microsoft to bring back Rover the dog, and the gang will be all back together.

Alongside Mico, Microsoft also announced a number of other capabilities coming to Copilot, including the ability to chat with the assistant in groups of up to 32 people, and have Copilot push back against misplaced assumptions in certain topics.

FAQ

Microsoft has formally unveiled Mico, its new face for Copilot. Mico is an expressive avatar that will appear when you interact with Copilot using your voice, taking the form of an abstract blob that floats around the screen and can change shape, emote, and react to conversations as you're having them.

Microsoft says the name Mico was chosen in reference to Microsoft Copilot, and is an optional interface that you don't have to use if you find it too distracting. "This optional visual presence listens, reacts, and even changes colors to reflect your interactions, making voice conversations feel more natural. Mico shows support through animation and expressions, creating a friendly and engaging experience."

This new Mico avatar is a step towards making Copilot feel more natural to talk with. Many people find it awkward to talk to their computer, and Microsoft is hoping that Mico reduces the barrier for people using their voice to interact with Copilot. And the best bit? If you tap on the Mico avatar a bunch of times, it'll eventually turn into Clippy!

In addition to the new visual appearance, Microsoft is also introducing a number of other new features to Copilot that are designed to make it more sociable and easy to use. It's adding a new group chat mode that lets up to 32 people chat with Copilot at the same time.

Copilot Groups is a feature that has been brought over from GroupMe, and enhances Copilot as a collaborative tool for groups of people. You'll be able to invite people to your Copilot chat with an invite link, and everyone with access will be able to interact with the same Copilot at the same time.

"Invite friends, classmates, or teammates and Copilot keeps everyone aligned by summarizing threads, proposing options, tallying votes, and splitting tasks" Microsoft explains.

Microsoft is also adding a feature called "real talk," which is designed to allow Copilot to push back and challenge assumptions made by humans interacting with it, which would be a first amongst the AI assistants on the market.

This feature is designed to ensure Copilot remains accurate when discussing sensitive or personal topics. Many AIs have been known to be "yes men" when it comes to using them discuss personal matters, but it sounds like Copilot might start to be more honest going forward.

Microsoft has also announced a new Copilot Health feature, which will use grounded health resources such as Harvard Health to help generate replies. It'll also be able to help you find the right doctors for your medical or health questions quickly and easily.

All of these new features are part of Copilot's Fall Release, and are bFAF

FAQ

Microsoft's Copilot AI was designed from the start to be your on-device companion, boosting productivity and making your PC and software as easy to use as possible. While Copilot's AI has undoubtedly delivered some time-saving tools that are genuinely worth testing out, not everyone takes advantage.

In the corporate world, where these tools might deliver an edge over the competition, your boss wants to know if, how, and when you're using them. Your boss also wants to see if you're keeping up with the competition, both internally and externally.

That corporate dream just became a reality thanks to a new feature rolling out for Microsoft's Copilot Dashboard in Viva Insights (via ITPro). With this addition, which Microsoft has named Benchmarks, Copilot can now make more sense of relevant data to track AI adoption rates at your company.

Not only can Benchmarks help compare Copilot usage internally at a company, but it can also compare externally against companies it deems to be similar to yours. It sounds like a data privacy nightmare, and you're not necessarily wrong. But Microsoft has made some promises in that regard that I cover below.

Copilot's new Benchmarks feature has begun its initial rollout period through the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard in Viva Insights to private preview customers. Microsoft says it's expecting a full rollout of Benchmarks to all customers "later this month."

Benchmarks in Copilot Dashboard is watching you use (or not use) AI

The new Benchmarks feature, at least initially, is designed to pull employee data regarding Copilot AI adoption rates and compare it to other employees within or outside your organization.

The internal benchmarks system pulls percentages of active Copilot users, adoption rates by app, and users who continue to return to Copilot's AI tools. Once harvested, Benchmarks charts the results, making for easy comparisons to employee types, job roles, and geographical regions within your organization.

Microsoft says the "cohort result" pulled via internal benchmarks is given a weighted average based on "matching roles across the tenant."

The external benchmarks system goes a few steps further. It pulls the data from your organization, then compares it to data pulled from either the top 10% or the top 25% of "companies like yours." It can also compare to the top 10% or the top 25% of all benchmarks pulled by the new program.

Microsoft states that "companies like yours" may include those "that share the same industry, size tier, and/or headquarters region as your own country." The external benchmarks data pools use "at least 20 companies" and are "derived from approximations," which undoubtedly helps reduce the privacy risks.

Further, Microsoft says that its external benchmarks "are calculated using randomized mathematical models" to boost privacy. The company is keeping a close eye on the quality of its external benchmarks, and it says it will "evaluate adding additional benchmarks" as it gathers user feedback.

Employees remain reticent about using AI

The current AI boom is having more than a few side effects on corporate employees.

While the heads of AI firms continue to tout AI's effectiveness and its potential to completely wipe out white-collar workforces around the world — which has executives and shareholders licking their lips in anticipation — actual employees remain cautious.

A recent MIT study from its NANDA initiative revealed that only about 5% of AI pilot programs actually make it beyond the initial stages. As the study suggests, the other 95% of AI pilot programs come up against the enterprise sector and its inability to adapt to new AI tools compared to other sectors.

This isn't the first time that Microsoft has added analytics tools to Viva. Microsoft 365 Copilot Analytics is already available to produce "readiness and adoption" reports from data gathered across your organization.

The new Benchmarks tool seems to be designed to make it easier to compare the data internally and externally. If you were worried about your boss knowing that you avoid Copilot at all costs, it's probably time to say hello to the AI companion.

What is Copilot Dashboard and Viva Insights?

Microsoft introduced Viva in 2021 as a platform designed to ameliorate the employee experience. It's heavily tied into Microsoft 365 and Teams.

One lane of Viva's four-pronged approach is Insights. I'll let Microsoft explain its original vision for Insights:

This vision for Insights has clearly grown in scope, and the new Benchmarks tools will surely cause panic in some offices as executives and managers see AI adoption rates falling behind the competition.

Microsoft recently announced that it has started rolling out a new update for its Copilot app on Windows 11. The update ships with several notable changes and improvements, including Connectors and Document creation.

However, it's worth noting that these changes are rolling out to Windows Insiders exclusively (version 1.25095.161.0 and higher) in waves before they ship to broad availability. As such, you might not be able to access them till later on.

Right off the bat, the new update brings Connectors to the Copilot app on Windows, which will allow users to connect to personal service, including OneDrive, Outlook (including email, contacts, and calendar), Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts to the platform. This way, users will be able to easily retrieve relevant information and content across multiple accounts through natural language search.

What's more, the new feature isn't exclusive to Microsoft accounts, you can link third-party accounts to Copilot, too. To link Copilot to your accounts, navigate through the app's Settings page and scroll down to the Connectors option. Then, select the services you'd like to connect to the Copilot app on Windows.

Next up, the new Copilot app update will allow users to create and export content into multiple file formats, including Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, or PowerPoint presentations using a simple prompt.

This news comes after Microsoft recently changed how millions interact with Word, now saving new Word documents to OneDrive by default as long as you've enabled the autosave option. This has sparked heated debates and concerns over privacy and local storage.

Microsoft is also poised to ship a new OneDrive app for Windows 11 next year. The app will ship with an overhauled user experience designed to make viewing and editing photos more seamless.

Over the past few years, Microsoft has doubled down on its generative AI efforts, especially after making a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. More recently, CEO Satya Nadella indicated that the company was shifting focus from Bill Gates' software factory vision, diversifying its portfolio into intelligence, integration, and AI.

Not too long ago, our Executive Editor Jez Corden criticized Microsoft's branding strategy, calling it poor and misguided, particularly highlighting the rebranding of Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365, and more recently, the introduction of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

"Copilot isn't ready for the prime time in my view, operating as a basic web wrapper for ChatGPT with painfully limited system-level integration, features, and capabilities," added Corden. And as it now seems, Microsoft seems to share similar sentiments and could potentially be in the process of addressing its over-the-top Copilot branding across its tech stack.

Right now, two Copilot apps are available across mobile app stores. The first was built by Microsoft from the ground up to meet consumer needs, while the other is a simple rebrand of the Microsoft Office app.

To an average user, it might be difficult to tell these apps apart, especially since they consistently share a similar user experience, which means that they could just as easily overlook productivity tools like Excel and Word built into the platform.

In a recent town hall meeting, a Microsoft employee asked what measures the company is putting in place to address the confusion that users might feel when interacting with these tools (via Business Insider).

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella shared an interesting approach and solution for this issue:

"The one way to make it less confusing is to have a billion users of each. Quite honestly, the best answer to a lot of the confusion is just daily usage, right?"

The executive argued that the context of the product should help clear up any confusion about it. To state his case, Nadella indicated that no one is confused about GitHub Copilot and its capabilities.

He further indicated that the tech giant's customers have adapted to their tech stack, which allows them to easily switch between personal accounts and even maintain separate work or school accounts.

Microsoft's consumer chief marketing officer, Yusuf Mehdi, says approximately 100 million monthly active users already interact with both Copilots simultaneously.

However, Microsoft is doubling down on its marketing strategy as Mehdi, AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman (lead of consumer Copilot division), and Rajesh Jha (Microsoft 365 Copilot lead), will decide how each product is presented and marketed to consumers. For instance, PCs for Microsoft's enterprise clients will ship with Microsoft 365 Copilot preinstalled.

Microsoft has a Copilot problem

In May, Microsoft Teams lead Jeff Taper claimed that Copilot and ChatGPT are virtually the same thing, but the former sports better security and a more powerful user experience. However, a separate report revealed that the top complaint lodged at Microsoft's AI division is that Copilot isn't as good as ChatGPT.

However, Microsoft was quick to dismiss the claims, indicating that ChatGPT isn't better than Copilot, claiming users aren't using it as intended, while shifting blame to a lack of proper prompt engineering skills.

However, corporations are more inclined towards ChatGPT than Copilot. This is despite the fact that both tools are based on the same OpenAI technology. “OpenAI has done a tremendous job making their product fun to use,” Amgen added.

Last year, a damning report highlighted Microsoft's struggles with Copilot, citing privacy and security issues. According to a Microsoft employee:

"There's a gap between the ambitious vision and what users are actually experiencing. Internally, we're calling it growing pains. We are building the plane as we fly it."

Another Microsoft employee highlighted a flaw in the company's Copilot branding strategy:

"There is a delusion on our marketing side where literally everything has been renamed to have Copilot it in. Everything is Copilot. Nothing else matters. They want a Copilot tie-in for everything."

The report also revealed that Microsoft was overly reliant on third-party vendors to make Copilot work across its tech stack, which aligns with Anthropic's AI models making their debut in Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Still, a high-ranking Microsoft executive described most Copilot AI tools as "gimmicky." But Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella argues that OpenAI had a 2-year runway to build and develop ChatGPT uncontested.

Microsoft has announced a new Copilot Labs feature dubbed "Portraits," which is designed to let users chat with an animated portrait. Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman announced the feature on X, saying that user feedback has suggested that people "feel more comfortable talking to a face when using voice."

It's unclear how this feature differs from the Copilot Appearance feature that was announced a number of months ago, which is also designed to let users chat with an animated avatar of their choosing.

It seems like Copilot Portraits is a simpler version of Copilot Appearance, taking on the form of a 2D portrait instead of a more whimsical or fantastical avatar. Both features are currently gated behind Copilot Labs, which is where Microsoft tests new AI features that are still experimental or unfinished.

"This is very much a prototype to help us learn more about how people feel talking to an AI" says Suleyman. It sounds like Microsoft is interested in exploring how users feel most comfortable when talking to an app. Pretending the app is a person, with a physical appearance in the form of a 3D avatar or 2D portrait, appears to be an avenue that Microsoft is exploring with Copilot.

Many Copilot Labs features are only available for Copilot Pro subscribers, so if you want to try out Copilot Portrait, you'll need to pay Microsoft $20 a month. Copilot Labs actually comes with a number of features, including a feature that lets you turn a 2D image into a 3D object with ease, and Copilot Vision, which lets Copilot view your screen alongside you.

For now, Copilot Portrait is a feature that is slowly rolling out, so even if you are subscribed to Copilot Pro, you might not see it right away. Let us know in the comments if an animated portrait makes talking with Copilot feel more natural.