Microsoft Copilot seems to get much attention as it makes its way to Bing, hugely changing how most of us use search engines. Here is a closer look at what makes Copilot special and how it holds up against other AI tools available today.
Key Details
Cost: Free
Platforms: Web, Windows 11, Mobile App
Capabilities: Voice recognition, internet connectivity, adjustable response modes available in creative or precise options
Image Generation Available
Overview
That’s why Microsoft is betting big on its investment in Copilot, which leverages OpenAI’s GPT-4 to finally give Bing a boost in market presence. Though Bing holds only about 3.3 percent of the global search market share, this may change with the new AI-driven feature.
What Makes Copilot Different
Not any old AI chatbot, Copilot comes in three flavors: Balanced, Precise, and Creative. Balanced and Precise both utilize GPT-4, which boasts a staggering 1 trillion parameters. For comparison, ChatGPT 3.5 had only 175 billion. GPT-4 Turbo is used in the Creative mode. This enables it to process data as new as April 2023 and respond with replies that are as long as 300 pages in length. However, the full GPT-4 Turbo has yet to be implemented into all the other modes.
Comparing with Other AI Tools
Copilot combines a little from everything found in ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. It borrows accuracy from ChatGPT and on-the-fly internet access akin to Gemini, returning responses that are both accurate and pertinent. I was quite impressed by the quality of its output, leaving me in awe of why this service is offered for free by Microsoft.
Privacy Considerations
Please note that when using Copilot, Microsoft collects data about how you use it, along with all other interactions one might have with the company’s many applications, including Word and Excel.
Applications in the field
Insights into Shopping
Comparing the new sriracha offerings from Huy Fong Foods and Underwood Ranches, this author—being a hot sauce head—thought Copilot did a great comparison of who’s got the best. It mentioned that Huy Fong’s sriracha had become sweeter and less spicy, while Underwood’s version still retains more of the original kick. This analysis aligns very closely with other reviews online.
Another example is when Copilot compared the LG models C3 and G3 of its OLED series; it rates the G3 model as brighter, which may be true, but certainly not a real improvement over what most users would observe. The creative mode provided an underdone analysis that went beyond straightforward bullet points to stand out.
Recipe Generation
It’s sometimes a real pain to seek out the perfect recipe online. Copilot at least managed to produce this chicken tikka recipe pretty fast, in Creative mode, though it glossed over some of the less usual ingredients that Gemini brought up. Switching to Precise mode added items like mustard powder and dried fenugreek but still didn’t quite match up to Gemini’s more exhaustive recipe.
Research Assistance
It is also incomparable when it comes to research tasks, interlinking relevant studies, and providing links to papers. For example, the relation between homeschooling and neuroplasticity; Copilot retrieved the relevant papers and synthesized other sources in its well-rounded response. More impressive was the capability of this device, unmatched by Gemini and ChatGPT 3.5, in terms of high accuracy and minute details.
Article Summarization
Article summarization is one of the many capabilities that AI tools, Copilot included, are still struggling with. Many times, this gives a useful overview, missing the core message. For example, in summarizing an article about AI trends at CES 2024, it missed the central point on the rebranding of older technologies.
Travel Planning
Copilot also excels at generating travel recommendations—piecing together thorough, accurate itineraries. For a three-day sojourn in Columbus, Ohio, Copilot provided an orderly collection of suggestions with emojis, read locations to visit and dine. This performance was much better than other AI tools seen to give less reliable or incomplete recommendations in general.
Email Writing
Email construction is pretty good. The tone and the formality change depending on the situation. It tries to avoid sensitive issues related to explicit content as one might find in other chatbots. That notwithstanding, Copilot’s email outputs generally sound convincing and well-written.
Conclusion
Microsoft Copilot is the quantum jump in AI tech that brings together the twin qualities of creativity and accuracy. The real-time data from Bing and advanced GPT-4 models give it the pace to achieve almost everything. Other services charge for capabilities like this, but Copilot does so for free, which turns out to be quite a valued deal for those looking at advanced AI sans the cost.
