Though admirable that Microsoft has now decided it wants Copilot to actually compete with other AI chatbots, its huge updates have only slightly chipped away at an uphill task. Unfortunately, Copilot still has a long way to go before it’s truly mentioned among the best.

Copilot Receives 5 Shiny New Features

As said, Copilot feels like it’s running behind the times, but Microsoft periodically arrives with a giant slab of updates.

Deep Research and Search Tools

Copilot has introduced a Deep Research feature similar to ChatGPT’s. After entering a prompt, the software will perform comprehensive research across the web to find the answers you’re looking for.

You’ll then see this information presented in one of many ways. Sometimes, Copilot will give you a table with everything you need. On other occasions, you’ll see bullet points and blocks of text. Having tried ChatGPT and Copilot’s Deep Research tools, I still think the former is much better, but Copilot at least has a starting point to build on.

In addition to Deep Research, Copilot has a new search feature in Bing.

Copilot Podcasts

Copilot Podcasts is arguably the coolest feature in the software’s new update. With this tool, you can create your own podcasts using AI. The software can take your favorite topics and create something you can listen to while on your run, out for a walk, cooking dinner, or in any other situation you’d normally listen to podcasts.

Besides creating the podcast yourself, Copilot will give you the opportunity to give your own input. So, it will feel more like you’re a guest on your own show and less like you’re listening to something that has clearly been generated with AI.

In addition to Copilot, you can create and listen to AI-generated podcasts (even though they’re quite polarizing) in many other places.

Shopping Suggestions

Trying to find the exact product you want to buy online can be strenuous, but seeking help can make the process less annoying. In its recent major update, Copilot launched a feature allowing you to see shopping suggestions.

Copilot acts like a virtual store assistant. You can use the tool to get advice based on your preferences and compare different items to see which one best fits your needs.

The Copilot Shopping Assistant allows you to research products more effectively than using ordinary prompts. It’s worth trying this tool and comparing it with other options, such as Perplexity’s AI Shopping feature or ChatGPT’s integrated shopping-focused search tool.

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Actions

Copilot launched an enterprise version of the Actions feature in late 2024, but its capabilities have now expanded to the consumer version. With the updated version of Copilot, you can perform multiple actions across different websites. For example, you could use the tool to book tickets for an event you want to see.

With this tool, performing necessary actions should become much easier even when you don’t want to. So, it’s one of the best ways to save time on your daily tasks.

What Else Has Copilot Introduced?

According to Microsoft, Copilot can now generate more personalized responses.

With your permission, Copilot will now remember what you talk about, so it learns your likes and dislikes and details about your life: the name of your dog, that tricky project at work, what keeps you motivated to stick to your new workout routine.

You’ll also have access to Copilot Vision on your mobile device and Windows; this feature was originally introduced last year. With Copilot Vision, you can grant the software access to your camera and allow it to give you context as to what you should do next.

Another new feature in Copilot is Pages. With this tool, you can brainstorm and do other things in a space with fewer distractions.

Why These Changes Are Too Late for Copilot

Introducing these new features and moving to Microsoft’s models is huge progress, but bridging the gap between Copilot and other AI tools will take much longer. Since its initial launch, ChatGPT and Perplexity have significantly evolved. Their innovation doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon, either.

While some of the features in Copilot are cool, most aren’t unique. For example, ChatGPT has a much better Deep Research tool than Copilot. Doing the same things as everyone else doesn’t make Copilot suddenly stand out.

Microsoft needs to focus on Copilot’s unique selling points if it wants to compete with ChatGPT and other tools. Actions, for example, are a cool feature; Microsoft should spend more time developing these programs. Similarly, Copilot was already good with its Microsoft 365 integrations; it should continue focusing on this.

It also feels like Copilot has been an afterthought for Microsoft until now. If your attention is fragmented, it’s hard to compete with OpenAI, whose main focus is developing AI technologies. For Copilot to become one of the best assistants, it’ll need to have much more of a core focus.