At Ignite 2023, Microsoft announced that it will be renaming its AI search engine-based chatbot Bing Chat to Copilot. This strategic overhaul aims to revolutionise user experiences, embracing a more conversational and intelligent interface reminiscent of ChatGPT.

The rebranding of Bing Chat to Copilot signifies a pivotal moment in Microsoft’s commitment to providing a seamless and engaging search experience globally. Simply put, Microsoft looks to provide unified Copilot experience to its consumers as well as enterprise customers. 

On Wednesday, at Microsoft Ignite, CEO Satya Nadella emphasised the importance of this transformation, and said: “This is clearly the age of the Copilot.” The renaming of Bing Chat to Copilot is not merely a cosmetic change; it represents a commitment to creating a more dynamic and responsive search platform, catering to the evolving expectations of users worldwide.

Moreover, it marks a shift towards a more conversational and intelligent user interface, aligning with the global initiative to enhance user engagement and search functionality. 

The no-cost version of Copilot will remain available in Bing and Windows, and it will also have a dedicated domain at copilot.microsoft.com, similar to the structure of ChatGPT. Business users will log in to Copilot using an Entra ID, whereas consumers will require a Microsoft Account to utilise the free Copilot service.

The official support for Microsoft Copilot is currently limited to Microsoft Edge and Chrome, and it is accessible on Windows and macOS.

Microsoft vs the World

Earlier this year, Nadella expressed his desire to make Google dance, which he referred to as an 800-pound gorilla, to embrace AI more actively in its Search functionality. 

At the same time, Microsoft has been accusing Google of following unfair tactics that led to its dominance as a search engine, and the battle continues to this day. Not to forget the rising popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. 

This rebranding could have been done to differentiate itself from ChatGPT and Google Bard, and positioning itself as a productivity tool for both personal as well as professional use, rather than just experimentation or conversing platform with the web. 

Interestingly, the rebranding of Bing Chat come close on the heels of OpenAI’s announcement that ChatGPT is being used by 100 million people on a weekly basis.

One of the key highlights of Copilot is its focus on creating a personalised and engaging interaction with the search engine. Drawing inspiration from ChatGPT, Copilot goes beyond traditional search functionality, offering users a platform where they can converse with the search engine in a more human-like manner.

The enhanced language understanding capabilities of Copilot enable it to grasp user queries with nuance, providing more accurate and relevant results. This move towards a more conversational platform signifies a departure from Google’s conventional search engine model, as Microsoft endeavors to make the interaction with Copilot feel less like a query and more like a conversation.

Why Copilot? 

By infusing Copilot with ChatGPT-inspired features, Microsoft is not only keeping pace with evolving user expectations but also setting new standards for what a search engine can offer. The goal is to create a platform that not only provides information but does so in a way that feels natural, interactive, and tailored to individual preferences.

As Copilot rolls out to users worldwide, the impact of this transformation is expected to redefine the way people interact with search engines, making information retrieval a more intuitive, personalised, and engaging process. The age of the Copilot has dawned, promising a new era in the world of search engine technology.