Was there a secret Microsoft Copilot release? Bing AI plus Microsoft 365

There are rumors that Microsoft secretly released a version of Microsoft 365 copilot, an AI-powered assistant that promises to reintroduce how documents are created.

Is this true?  

It’s not a secret release but a gradual anticipated step that was clearly outlined when we look at the math history.

Copilot was moving out of preview mode to become available in December. It was Microsoft Copilot suddenly appearing on December 29, 2023, that had most in a frenzy.

What is it and how does it work for the new arrival consumer?

Microsoft Copilot refers to two different AI tools from Microsoft, namely Bing AI Chat (formerly Bing Chat) and Microsoft 365 Copilot – introduced in September 2023.

Bing AI Chat was launched in February 2023 and was the original Microsoft Copilot.

It is a conversational AI built on a language model accessible through Microsoft Bing and Microsoft Edge.  Think of it as an advanced search engine with advanced search engine assistant to help users find information by answering questions while also engaging in conversation.

Microsoft 365 Copilot

This was introduced in September 2023, a newer and more powerful application, which combined the capability of Bing AI chat with features tailored to enhance productivity within Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.  This is an AI assistant offering real-time assistance to tasks such as helping to write emails, create presentations, and drafting documents.

Examples of how Microsoft 365 Copilot can be used are a financial analyst working on a complex budget, and Copilot identifying missing data while providing insights on target audiences.

A marketing manager writing an email campaign and copilot suggesting email subject lines, and generating personalized greetings.

While the two versions share a name, they cater to two different purposes.

Bing AI focuses on general information and conversation, while Microsoft 365 Copilot is tailored to focus more on work-related tasks and productivity.

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