Microsoft consistently relies on AI – Copilot now included

Microsoft does not shy away from unconventional paths and is providing its customers in Australia and several Southeast Asian countries with an AI assistant, whether they want it or not. The technology giant has expanded its subscription services for software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to include the 'Copilot' feature—and simultaneously increased the prices for the Microsoft 365 package. Users who prefer an unchanged writing or spreadsheet experience without artificial intelligence assistance have to grudgingly accept the price increase. Alistair Fleming, who uses Word to create scripts for his YouTube channel about 1990s Japanese wrestling, was displeased with the intrusive appearance of the Copilot logo repeatedly offering its services. Fleming also noted that his 365 fee had increased from 11 to 16 Australian dollars. In some places, the constant pop-ups remind users of Clippy, the often-ridiculed virtual paperclip assistant of the late 90s. A Microsoft spokesperson did not comment on the strategic background of this forced introduction or whether such a step is planned in other regions. Copilot, developed with technologies from OpenAI, is a key component of Satya Nadella's vision for the advancement of software business for both private customers and enterprises. Microsoft has invested significantly in OpenAI, explaining the pursuit of lucrative AI applications. Since early 2023, Microsoft has been attempting to capture the consumer apps market with generative AI, where it has previously had little impact against competitors like Google. Following the integration of the technology into the Bing search engine as a chat tool, Copilot now follows, integrated as a chatbot and content creator in Microsoft 365 software. Priced at $20 per month for the premium version in the USA, the AI complements the existing subscription model, which already costs around $7 monthly.