Microsoft’s recent announcement at Microsoft Ignite 2023 marks a significant shift in its AI strategy. The company has rebranded Bing Chat, its AI-powered chatbot, to ‘Copilot in Bing’. This rebranding extends to the corporate-focused version, previously known as Bing Chat Enterprise, which is also now called Copilot.
The rebranding reflects Microsoft’s vision to offer a unified AI experience across consumer and commercial products. This strategic move may also indicate an effort to enhance Bing’s standing in the market, where it has struggled to compete with dominant players like Google.
Starting December 1, Copilot in Bing will enhance data protection for users with a Microsoft Entra ID, ensuring their data isn’t used for AI model training or saved by Microsoft. This change is part of Microsoft’s commitment to privacy and security, especially for corporate users.
Copilot will be the new UI for both the world's knowledge and your organization's knowledge, but most importantly, it will be your agent that helps you act on that knowledge. Here are highlights from my keynote today at #MSIgnite. pic.twitter.com/4fgMnav3fP
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 16, 2023
Copilot’s AI is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 models, promising not to save or use user interactions for further model training. Microsoft also plans to integrate Copilot across its suite of products, including Microsoft 365, offering more personalization in applications like Word and PowerPoint.
In Teams, Copilot will soon be able to take detailed notes during meetings and provide real-time assistance, enhancing collaboration and productivity. Additionally, Copilot will offer new functionalities in Outlook, such as summarizing events and emails, and in PowerPoint, it will allow the use of AI-generated visuals.
Copilot is now more accessible than ever, integrated within Windows, Copilot.Microsoft.com, and Bing. It’s included in Microsoft’s enterprise subscription plans, such as Microsoft 365 E, E5, Business Premium, and Business Standard, at no extra cost. From December 1, Microsoft 365 F3 subscribers will also gain access to Copilot. The service is available for other users at $5 per month, making it a highly affordable AI tool.
The rebranding of Bing Chat to Copilot marks a significant step in Microsoft’s AI journey. By aligning its AI offerings under the Copilot brand, Microsoft simplifies its portfolio and enhances user experience across its consumer and commercial customer base. This strategic move, coupled with enhanced data protection features and integration across multiple applications, positions Copilot as a key player in the evolving AI landscape.