Microsoft Copilot, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed with OpenAI technologies, has not had a substantial impact on OpenAI’s own chatbot, ChatGPT.
That’s the case despite the fact that Copilot offers free access to OpenAI’s newer GPT-4 technology, while ChatGPT charges for it, TechCrunch reported Monday (Jan. 8), citing data from app store intelligence provider Appfigures.
Copilot’s launch went largely unnoticed by potential consumers due to a lack of promotion, according to the report. Initially, the app was released on Google Play on Dec. 20 without any marketing efforts, resulting in low visibility.
Although it later became available on the App Store, on Dec. 28, Microsoft did not leverage Apple’s Search Ads to attract iOS users, the report said.
As a result, Copilot’s downloads have been relatively modest, with a total of 2.1 million installs across iOS and Android as of Jan. 5, per the report.
ChatGPT’s downloads slowed in December, but that started before Copilot was released, according to the report.
During the period in which Copilot accumulated its 2.1 million installs, ChatGPT added an additional 4.2 million downloads, the report said.
Several reasons may explain why Copilot has not displaced ChatGPT, per the report. First, ChatGPT already has a dedicated user base that may be resistant to switching to a new platform. Second, Copilot’s holiday launch and lack of promotion may have resulted in many potential users being unaware of its arrival. Additionally, some users may find the integration of Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, in Copilot to be undesirable.
The Copilot for Android app provides users with access to Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot without the need for the Bing mobile app, making it a more standalone experience. It offers chatbot capabilities, image generation through DALL-E 3, and the ability to draft text for emails and documents.
In another recent deployment of Copilot, Microsoft said on Thursday (Jan. 4) that it is adding a button to the Windows keyboard that will activate the AI tool. This is Microsoft’s first keyboard layout change in nearly 30 years and is part of the company’s goal of making AI seamlessly integrated into Windows.
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