Copilot’s makeover: Microsoft’s AI chatbot gets a fresh look: Microsoft is revamping its AI chatbot, Copilot, with a new design and performance improvements, aiming to compete more effectively with ChatGPT and other AI assistants.
Key changes and improvements:
- The redesigned web interface offers a card-based design with time-of-day specific prompts
- Performance enhancements reportedly bring Copilot’s speed “on par with ChatGPT”
- The chatbot now features day and night themes for improved user experience
- A text-entry box remains visible at all times, enhancing accessibility
- Four voice options are available, although voice mode is not yet enabled
Rollout and availability:
- The new version, dubbed ‘Copilot v2’, is currently being tested in India and Brazil
- Users can still access Copilot without a Microsoft account
- The chatbot continues to use ChatGPT-4 as its underlying model
Strategic implications:
- This redesign signals Microsoft’s renewed focus on Copilot after a period of apparent deprioritization
- The move suggests Microsoft is actively working to close the gap with OpenAI’s ChatGPT in terms of user experience and performance
- The revamp could be seen as Microsoft’s response to increasing competition in the AI chatbot space
Design inspiration:
- The new interface bears similarities to Pi, an AI chatbot from Inflection AI
- This resemblance is likely not coincidental, as Inflection AI’s founder, Mustafa Suleyman, now leads Microsoft’s Copilot team
Broader context:
- Microsoft has been heavily promoting AI-powered Windows machines, but had scaled back some features in its Copilot app
- This redesign may indicate a shift in strategy, focusing on improving the core Copilot experience
What to watch:
- User adoption and feedback on the new interface, particularly in comparison to ChatGPT
- Further rollout of ‘Copilot v2’ to other regions and potential global launch
- Integration of voice mode and other new features in future updates
Industry implications: The revamp of Copilot underscores the intensifying competition in the AI chatbot market, with major tech players continuously refining their offerings to gain an edge.
- Microsoft’s investment in Copilot highlights the growing importance of AI assistants in the tech ecosystem
- The improvements to Copilot may pressure other companies to enhance their own AI chatbots, potentially accelerating innovation in the field
- As AI chatbots become more sophisticated and user-friendly, they could play an increasingly central role in how people interact with technology and access information
Looking ahead: While Microsoft’s Copilot redesign shows promise, its success will ultimately depend on user adoption and how well it can differentiate itself in a crowded market of AI assistants.
Microsoft is giving Copilot a new look — here's what we know