The holidays are meant for peace, joy, and taking a break from work. However, in the fast-paced world of Big Tech, there's little time for rest, especially with new products to unveil.
While we were busy decorating, baking, and family gatherings, Microsoft quietly launched its AI assistant app, Copilot, on Android and iOS. This subtle rollout was strategically timed to avoid drawing attention amidst the holiday hustle and bustle.
At first glance, Copilot resembles Microsoft’s Bing Chat app, which gained significant attention upon its release last year. You can interact naturally with the app, ask questions, draft emails, or search the web — standard AI assistant features for 2024.
What sets Copilot apart is its cutting-edge technology. It runs on advanced AI models including GPT-3.5 and even the enhanced GPT-4 in select modes. This is not your typical chatbot; Copilot can understand context, engage in complex conversations, and create hyper-realistic text and images using tools like DALL-E 3.
Typically, access to GPT-4 comes with a hefty price tag of $20/month. However, Microsoft is offering users the chance to interact with one of the most powerful AI systems for free.
This is significant. With Copilot, anyone with a smartphone has access to an AI assistant as capable as more widely advertised applications like ChatGPT. Microsoft successfully introduced this tool without attracting much notice.
While some might interpret this quiet launch as an attempt to sidestep hype, it likely reflects Microsoft’s desire to allow Copilot to speak for itself. The holiday season was an ideal time to introduce a new product without overwhelming publicity.
Nevertheless, Microsoft is aware of the impact of this release. While we enjoyed holiday festivities, the company made a crucial move in the AI landscape, putting advanced generative models into the hands of millions.
The key question now is how the public will respond once they recognize Copilot's capabilities. Will the holiday timing allow Microsoft to normalize this level of AI without sparking backlash?
For now, Copilot isn’t a replacement for ChatGPT; it doesn’t support voice chat like OpenAI’s popular app. However, Microsoft's discreet entry into app stores positions Copilot as a contender in the AI assistant space for 2024 and beyond. The AI landscape is about to become much more intriguing.