What is Copilot? Microsoft's new artificial intelligence-powered feature

Tech giant Microsoft stepped into the world of artificial intelligence on Thursday, announcing a powerful AI tool that can assist users across all platforms such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Aptly dubbed as Copilot, the tool will appear in the sidebar as a chatbot, ready to come to a user's rescue at any point of time. For some, the feature is a modernistic yet nostalgic version of Clippy, an animated interface from the 90s.

In a statement released on Thursday, Microsoft said that Copilot is a "whole new way of working", as it "works alongside you, embedded in the apps millions of people use every day: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more," The Verge reported. Copilot is a beginner-friendly tool that aims to provide solutions and suggestions. Whether a user wishes to create an app or a bot, the AI feature can quickly build it in a matter of "seconds," the company said.

"Copilot in Power Apps makes it easy to keep data at the centre of every application. Describe your application's purpose and a data table is automatically generated for your app. Using Copilot, makers can then leverage natural language to refine the app to suit their needs," it added. 

Microsoft joins the AI race amid growing competition

To sum it up, Copilot allows everyone to create an app, while also helping experts by saving time. The feature is the courtesy of ChatGPT-creator OpenAI. Additionally, Microsoft is also looking forward to the launch of a string of AI -powered capabilities that will boost the Microsoft Power platform. The features will include GPT-enabled data exploration and embedded GPT -enabled chatbots in applications. 

The company's recent announcement comes just a month after it introduced a set of AI features on search engine Bing, in a bid to compete with rivals amid emerging AI technology. According to CNN, tech giant Google also announced that it will soon be incorporating AI into its tools such as Docs, Sheets and Gmail.