Microsoft Copilot: Is It Really The Future of Productivity? Know it’s Features, Applications, and Use Cases

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Microsoft Copilot

Like other tech giants, Microsoft is also involved deeply in artificial intelligence. A year ago, Microsoft released its AI search engine on Bing that modified the search with various features. But now they have made something new for them. We can see that every big tech company has its AI chatbot. So Microsoft thought about why they remain behind in this trend. So they have built their AI chatbot called Copilot. They have made many promising results for Copilot.

Microsoft Copilot

We will discuss in detail the facts and much more about the Copilot AI so let’s start the process of knowing Microsoft’s Copilot details.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Copilot is an AI chatbot that is built on a large language model like chatGPT. Microsoft tried its best to make Copilot very similar to chatGPT. Copilot is directly accessed by the internet which can give up-to-date information about any topic. You can take work from Copilot just like other AI chatbots. Just what you need to do is enter the input prompt and it will provide elaborate details related to the input data. You can solve math problems, write letters, articles, poems, and even codes of many programs. It seems a new dawn for Microsoft in the field of artificial intelligence. Copilot will enhance their productivity.

Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft said “Today marks the next major step in the evolution of how we interact with computing, which will fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth, With our new copilot for work, we’re giving people more agency and making technology more accessible through the most universal interface — natural language.”

Also read: What is Amazons GPT55x and How Does it Work? | Amazons GPT55x Review

The Language Model on Which Copilot Works

Copilot is powered by the Open AI codex, the same language that is used by the GPT-4. It is a modified production version of the Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3). The language model can produce the result based on human thinking. The Codex model is additionally trained on gigabytes of source code in a dozen programming languages.

This language is generally known as the latest version of the language model that is used in GPT-4.

Microsoft and Open AI have been in a partnership for years. So Microsoft has used GPT-4 to make its Copilot more reliable, accessible, accurate, and more capable than the GPT-3.5 version. There are bright chances that in the future Copilot could overcome the GPT-4 in terms of performance and power.

A bit about the Copilot’s accuracy

As mentioned, Microsoft has used GPT-4 to make Copilot better in different terms. Copilot could be as accurate as GPT because it runs on the same algorithm and language model. But as an AI chatbot, Copilot can provide false information sometimes. There is also much news in the past about the Copilot nature of providing information. As allegations were that Copilot used to take credit for information that it stole from other websites. So before reaching any conclusion on behalf of information provided by the AI, you should check twice whether the information is factual or not.

Also read: How Does Amazons GPT44x Work? Features, Appliations And Review

Copilot’s other variants/apps

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft has released many Copilot apps of which few are paid and few are free to use. The apps are Copilot chatbot, Windows Copilot, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and even Copilot for service, Copilot for Sales, and so on. But these are the apps that are mostly in the news. Copilot chatbot is the primary app among them.

There is also a Windows Copilot that is currently available as a free preview in some versions of Windows 11. Also, many need a special subscription to access. But it seems quite confusing for some users as they can’t understand clearly which app is used for which works. Hoping that gradually the world will know the use of all variants in the coming years.

Also read: How to Make An AI App? Step By Step Guide For 2024

How to Access the Microsoft Copilot?

Copilot is free to access for users as it is the primary app among them all. To access the Copilot you just need to go to Copilot’s official website and sign in through Microsoft account. Still today, Copilot is free to use but there is a possibility that Microsoft could set the cost to use Copilot and provide some additional perks in the future. So before Microsoft changes its policy, go and get access to Copilot. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Access MS Copilot:


To access Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Ensure you have deployed the necessary Microsoft 365 Apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange.
  2. Have a OneDrive account for file saving and sharing.
  3. Use the new Outlook for Windows, currently in preview.
  4. Access Microsoft Teams via the desktop or web client.
  5. Enable Microsoft Loop and Microsoft Whiteboard for your tenant, if you wish to use Copilot with these apps.
  6. Manage licenses for Copilot through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
  7. Review your privacy settings for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, as they might affect Copilot’s features.

Copilot Can be Used on Websites and Also in its Official App

Most AI chatbots have a website to use to get answers and information about it. Copilot AI also has a website on which by logging, you can access the Copilot chatbot. But if you are not comfortable using a website for accessing Copilot don’t be tense. Microsoft has built an app version of Copilot solely for chatbots. Surely the app version provides a more enhanced experience than the website without any cookie interruption. You can still make use of Copilot through the search bar when you open up the application. So go and check out the experience of the app version.

Also read: Top 10 Chatbot Development Companies

Know About the Character Limit of the Copilot 

Character limit is one of the important aspects in terms of AI chatbots. ChatGPT has the highest chat limit of 4096 words. No other AI chatbot near GPT’s character limit. Whereas Copilot has a chat limit of 2000 words. But surely there will be an increase in the chat limit of Copilot. Despite having fewer chat limits, the copilot provided answers and information that were sufficient to understand the questioning topic. 

Cost of Accessing Copilot

Till today there is no cost needed to access the Copilot. As we mentioned you just need to sign in with a Microsoft account and you can use Copilot. There are also profitable things that can occur if you are using the Copilot. To access the GPT, one has to pay the subscription price but now you can also access the GPT free with the help of Copilot. It is the only way by which you can access the GPT for free. There is a bright chance of having a Microsoft account for almost all adult people as they use their computers. 

Also read: 8 Ways You Can Use ChatGPT to Market Your Small Business

Copilot vs ChatGPT: What’s the Difference?

Copilot is built on the same language model as ChatGPT so Copilot is also very capable concerning ChatGPT. The users that have used the GPT-3.5 version and now use Copilot have seen a clear difference between the GPT-3.5 and Copilot. They conclude that Copilot is much better in every aspect than GPT-3.5. But the matter is not overtaking only the 3.5 version but also it has very similar performance as GPT-4.

Copilot and GPT are the two sides of the same coin. A slight difference could be noticed in terms of tool availability as GPT has more generative tools than Copilot. You can use ChatGPT for everything from writing essays to creating compelling job descriptions. Overall ChatGPT is an application that is designed to inspire and support users when creating content, creating customer service apps, or conducting research. 

Whereas Copilot is primarily intended to support users in the Microsoft ecosystem when they’re taking advantage of solutions like Microsoft Teams and Copilot. Copilot focuses on improving productivity, efficiency, and overall workplace performance as users can get something new than before. Even though they nearly got successful in what they wanted to be and hoped that Copilot would get more improvement in the future.

Features/Characteristics of Copilot

Copilot has many features but there are mainly three features or characteristics that make Copilot different from other AI chatbots. Let’s elaborate one by one on all of them.

1. Unlevel skills 

Microsoft Copilot prompt action skills

Copilot tries its best to make you better at those skills that you want to be. It lets you quickly master what you have yet to learn. There are also many functionalities available that are now unlocked just by using the natural language. Now, average people can also use rich functionality instead of using one or two. These features and functionality will uplevel the skill of users and make them more engaged with artificial intelligence.

2. Unlock productivity

Microsoft Copilot Screen for productivity

Copilot is capable of increasing your productivity by saving valuable time. It can summarize long emails in short form, make key points in minutes that can be discussed in the meetings, clear your mailbox from junk mail, and much more. It is mainly designed to increase individual productivity. And also it has got success in that terms.

3. Unleash creativity

Create with copilot

In Word with Copilot, it always gives you the first draft to edit. Copilot will always treat you as your author and push your limitations to make you more creative. With Copilot in PowerPoint, you can create an incredible and attractive presentation by providing only some ideas. In Excel, with the Copilot you can create valuable data structures and sheets by giving input.

Applications of Copilot in Different Industries

Copilot has many applications for different industries. It can prove productive in the business sector, education sector, medical sector, and many more. Let’s talk about some applications of the Copilot in detail.

  • Copilot can be grounded with your business data as it will keep your business data in a safe and preserving manner. It can summarize data structure based on your emails, calendar, chats, meetings, contacts, and other business data. You can build a graph concerning your productivity.
  • Copilot can enhance the security and privacy of any organization and company. Copilot is directly integrated into Microsoft 365 and automatically inherits all your company’s valuable security, compliance, and privacy policies and processes. It will enable two-factor authentication, compliance boundaries, privacy protections, and more. All of these features make Copilot worthy of trust.
  • In the education sector, it could prove very crucial. It can provide new techniques and accurate information in less time. Students can research more topics in less time with the help of Copilot. 
  • The medical sector can also get the benefit of Copilot. Important chemical reaction information could make valuable medicines. Instant suggestions in critical situations can save lives and much more.

Also read: The Top 7 Game-Changing Applications of Generative AI You Can’t Miss

Limitations of Copilot

With incredible features and applications, Copilot has some limitations too. It generates codes that seem to be valid but they are not correct most times. There have been concerns about Copilot suggesting code that might be copyrighted and could be not appropriately licensed. There is also a privacy concern with developers while sharing code with AI. overall mainly limitations of Copilot are related to developers and codes. 

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, Copilot is a breathtaking product made by the use of artificial intelligence. Its ability to solve problems is as great as GPT. But it’s our responsibility to use its power in the right manner. If this type of power is used in the wrong way then there can be destruction. Do not trust blindly also because remember that humans made the AI, not AI made the human. Overall this is a great tool so use it with responsibility. There are some cons but surely I am hoping for enhancement in the future.

Alex Rode
WRITEN BY

Alex Rode

I am founder of Just Create App. I have extensive experience in writing about apps, softwares, IT companies. Done Master of Science in Computer Science from Yale University, I am a passionate tech enthusiast and dedicated writer. I delve into a diverse range of topics, from AI and software to app development, and keep a keen eye on tech firms and emerging trends. My expertise enables me to break down complex topics and present them in an engaging, accessible manner, making me a trusted source for insightful analysis in the realm of technology.

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