NEWS  AI  November 16, 2023  Reading time: 2 Minute(s)

Max (RS editor)

Microsoft has officially rebranded its AI chatbot, moving away from the Bing Chat nomenclature to the new and streamlined Copilot. This strategic shift aims to bolster Microsoft's competitive stance against ChatGPT, a rival AI service.

The decision follows Microsoft's earlier foray into AI integration within its Bing search engine, introducing a ChatGPT-like interface directly into search results. However, less than a year later, the tech giant is abandoning the Bing Chat brand in favor of Copilot, the newly established name for its chat interface utilized in Bing, Microsoft Edge, and Windows 11.

The move appears to be a response to the growing popularity of ChatGPT, with OpenAI recently revealing that 100 million people are weekly users of their platform. Despite a lucrative partnership with OpenAI, Microsoft is now positioning Copilot as the go-to option for both consumers and businesses.

Colette Stallbaumer, the general manager of Microsoft 365, clarified the transition, stating that Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise will now simply become Copilot. This shift comes after Microsoft had previously selected Copilot as the branding for its chatbot within Windows 11.

Microsoft is presenting Copilot as a two-tiered service, with the free version catering to a broad audience and Copilot for Microsoft 365 as the premium, paid option. The free Copilot version will be accessible on Bing and Windows, with its dedicated domain at copilot.microsoft.com. 

Business users will log into Copilot using an Entra ID, while consumers will require a Microsoft Account for access. Currently, Microsoft Copilot is officially supported in Microsoft Edge or Chrome, on Windows or macOS.

The rebranding signifies Copilot evolving into a standalone experience, no longer requiring navigation through Bing. Although Bing remains integral to Copilot.

Microsoft's initial choice to integrate AI efforts into Bing was driven by its neutrality and established brand recognition, as explained by Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer chief marketing officer, in an internal meeting earlier this year. However, with Copilot, Microsoft is now shifting away from Bing as the primary entry point for its AI ambitions.

The success of Microsoft's AI search push remains uncertain, especially in comparison to Google, which maintains over 90% market share. Despite challenges, Microsoft is determined to position Copilot as a robust alternative in the competitive landscape of AI chatbots.

(Images by Microsoft)