Amid a growing trend of tech firms embracing generative AI technology, inspired by the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft has taken a significant step forward.
The company has integrated the advanced GPT-4 Turbo model into its AI assistant, Copilot, available in its free service tier.
This strategic move enables free users to access GPT-4 Turbo through Copilot’s Creative or Precise mode, a feature previously exclusive to Copilot Pro subscribers. However, Copilot Pro users maintain the flexibility to switch between GPT-4 Turbo and older AI models at their discretion.
Mikhail Parakhin, CEO of Microsoft’s advertising and web services division, emphasized this enhancement via a statement on the social media platform X.
According to a TechCrunch report, Microsoft envisions Copilot, its suite of AI-driven content creation tools, as a significant revenue source in the future. With over 40% of Fortune 100 companies participating in Copilot’s early access program, this vision seems promising.
However, scaling Copilot into a reliable revenue generator will necessitate substantial growth, given the considerable expenses associated with running GenAI models in the cloud.
Also, with Copilot Pro, a new consumer plan priced at $20 per user per month, customers can access Copilot GenAI features across various platforms. These include Word, Excel (in English, currently in preview), PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on PC, Mac, and iPad. Notably, Copilot Pro is an add-on service and does not include a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Copilot’s capabilities extend to writing, editing, summarizing, and generating text across different applications. It assists in creating designed presentations and data visualizations in Excel and PowerPoint, while also aiding in drafting email responses in Outlook.
In the future, Copilot Pro subscribers will have the option to switch between models and leverage Microsoft’s forthcoming Copilot GPT Builder for customized AI models tailored to specific topics.
While resembling OpenAI’s GPT Builder for chatbots, Copilot GPT Builder is expected to integrate seamlessly with Microsoft services and applications.
Copilot is currently available to organizations subscribed to various Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans. Additionally, a free mobile app for Copilot, featuring access to GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 for image creation, is now available on Android and iOS platforms.
As per TechCrunch report, Microsoft is further planning to expand Copilot’s language support, with Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, and several other languages slated for inclusion in the first half of 2024. This extensive expansion underscores Microsoft’s commitment to making Copilot accessible to a global audience.
