Microsoft Reshapes Copilot: One App, Fewer Features
Consumer and business Copilot apps are being merged into one – unsuccessful features like Podcasts and the Mico avatar are cut.
Illustration · AI-generated (AI IN LIFE)
At a glance
- Consumer and business Copilot are merged into one “Microsoft Copilot” app
- Cut from August 18: Copilot Podcasts, Group Chat, Deep Research (consumer), Mico avatar
- Successor “Researcher” is available only to Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers
- Rollout: Windows Insiders first, mobile/web from mid-August, Windows and Mac from mid-September
- User base: about 38.5M monthly consumer users and 30M paid M365 Copilot seats
Microsoft is cleaning house on its AI assistant: the separate Copilot apps for consumers and business customers are being merged into a single “Microsoft Copilot” app – a step seen internally as preparation for a “super app.” Work and personal accounts remain technically separated.
At the same time, the company is cutting features that failed to catch on: from August 18, Copilot Podcasts, Group Chat, the consumer version of Deep Research and the animated avatar “Mico” will disappear. Deep Research's successor, “Researcher,” will be available only to paying Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers – moving a previously free feature behind the paywall.
The rollout starts this week with Windows Insiders, followed by mobile and web globally in mid-August, then Windows and Mac in mid-September. The new web address is copilot.cloud.microsoft.
Behind the overhaul is the gap to the market leader: about 38.5 million people use consumer Copilot monthly, plus roughly 30 million paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats – versus more than a billion weekly ChatGPT users. Leading the effort is Jacob Andreou, the former Snap executive, after Mustafa Suleyman moved to model development in March.
For users, the restructuring mostly means fewer experiments and more focus. Microsoft is concentrating Copilot on core functions – while testing how much consolidation its user base will accept.
FAQ
What changes for existing Copilot users?
The separate apps are merged into one; work and personal accounts stay separated. Some features like Podcasts and Group Chat are discontinued without replacement.
What happens to Deep Research?
The consumer version is discontinued. Its successor, Researcher, is only available to Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers.
Why is Microsoft doing this?
The company is focusing resources on core features and preparing a super app – partly because Copilot trails far behind ChatGPT in user numbers.
