Microsoft's new AI boss faces criticism for latest Copilot update
What's the story
Microsoft recently updated its Copilot tool, the first major product launch from the new Microsoft AI group led by Mustafa Suleyman.
Suleyman, the former DeepMind executive who joined Microsoft earlier this year, has called the Copilot update the first step toward building an AI companion that will "support you, teach you, and help you."
However, the latest release has received mixed reactions from employees and users alike.
Feedback
Internal criticism and public disapproval
The new avatar of Copilot has been criticized by some Microsoft employees and users, who feel it is worse than its predecessor.
Comments on Blind, a private message board for Microsoft staff, echo the sentiment with one employee claiming the update has "absolutely ruined" the tool. Another called it "a step backward."
Public reviews on Apple's App Store also reflect the same, with over 250 one-star reviews since the October 1 update.
AI leadership
Suleyman's role and future plans for Copilot
Suleyman was hired by Microsoft in March to lead consumer AI products such as the Bing search engine and the Copilot AI chatbot.
His appointment came with high expectations owing to his co-founding role at AI pioneer DeepMind.
Despite the initial backlash, Divya Kumar, General Manager of Copilot and AI marketing, has said that "the new Copilot consumer app represents a fundamental shift," from a transactional tool to a more conversational companion experience.
Issues
User complaints and comparison with corporate version
Users have flagged certain problems with the new consumer AI Copilot app, such as slow response times, less information, and missing real-time data.
Some also complained about the changes made to the app's image feature.
On Blind, several Microsoft employees also compared this consumer version unfavorably with another Copilot tool for corporate clients as part of Microsoft's M365 suite of business software.