Microsoft's new AI CEO rolled out his first big product update. Some staff and users say the previous version was better.

• Microsoft precocious updated its AI Copilot for consumers.
• It was is nan first awesome merchandise from Microsoft's caller user AI org, nether Mustafa Suleyman.
• Some labor and users person criticized nan merchandise refresh.

Microsoft updated a Copilot instrumentality for consumers earlier this month. It was nan first awesome merchandise merchandise from Mustafa Suleyman's caller Microsoft AI group, and it's had a mixed reception truthful far.

Suleyman, who joined Microsoft from DeepMind earlier this year, described nan Copilot refresh arsenic nan first measurement toward an AI companion that will "support you, thatch you, and thief you."

Some labor and users are saying nan caller type is worse than nan erstwhile incarnation, which was built earlier Suleyman arrived.

"Absolutely ruined," 1 personification wrote connected a backstage connection committee for Microsoft labor that's tally by Blind. This level requires unit to supply an charismatic verified institution email earlier being allowed to join.

"The caller Copilot is simply a measurement backward," different personification wrote successful nan Microsoft group connected Blind, according to screenshots reviewed by Business Insider. "The caller Copilot update is bad," different wrote.

App Store reviews

These comments are supported by nationalist reviews of nan Copilot app connected Apple's App Store. Until this latest update, nan merchandise had mostly favorable reviews, pinch an mean of 4.8 stars retired of 5 based connected much than 100,000 ratings. But since nan Oct. 1 refresh, nan reviews person taken a antagonistic turn, garnering much than 250 one-star reviews this month. That compares to only astir 20 one-star ratings successful September earlier nan update.

"It was truthful bully earlier updating to this version," 1 reviewer wrote. Another said nan Copilot app is "dumbed down and little functional."

"Why merchandise specified an astonishing app and past update it to what it is now?" a 3rd reviewer wrote successful nan App Store.

High expectations

Microsoft hired Suleyman successful March to oversee user AI products specified arsenic nan Bing hunt motor and nan Copilot AI chatbot. As nan cofounder of AI pioneer DeepMind, location were precocious expectations for Suleyman's contributions.

This is conscionable 1 of galore projects he's moving on, and immoderate of nan issues whitethorn beryllium somewhat retired of his control. New merchandise updates tin besides suffer from early teething problems that tin sometimes beryllium ironed retired later. Some users besides respond negatively erstwhile an app they've gotten utilized to abruptly changes.

"The caller Copilot user app represents a basal shift, evolving from a transactional instrumentality to a companion acquisition that is much conversational, wherever it's location to support you, guideline you and thief you lick little defined problems," Divya Kumar, wide head of Copilot and AI marketing, said successful a connection to BI.

"We will adhd caller features and functionality arsenic we proceed to perceive to and reside our customers' feedback," she added.

Multiple Copilots

On nan Microsoft worker connection committee connected Blind, immoderate group compared nan updated Copilot app for consumers to a different Copilot instrumentality that's designed for firm customers.

Microsoft has galore versions of its Copilots. There are truthful galore that 1 Microsoft executive told BI nan institution is struggling to amended customers connected nan differences betwixt nan tools.

For instance, Suleyman's user Copilot app is abstracted from an AI Copilot instrumentality that Microsoft offers arsenic portion of its M365 suite of business software.

"The web tab M365 Copilot is measurement better," 1 of nan group successful nan Microsoft Blind group wrote. "The M365 1 is acold superior," different personification said.

"The productivity experiences group emotion are still disposable to usage astatine activity pinch Copilot successful Microsoft 365," Kumar wrote successful her connection to BI.

User feedback

In nan nationalist App Store reviews, users complained astir respective circumstantial issues that person arisen since nan user AI Copilot app was updated Oct. 1.

Some users wrote that nan app freezes aliases is slow to respond. Others said nan outputs seemed "dumber," pinch little accusation than nan erstwhile version. Real-time information, specified arsenic sports scores and section recommendations are missing now, aliases nan app conscionable says "Sorry, I can't thief you pinch that" much often, according to nan reviews.

Users besides complained astir nan inability to delete aged conversations. Some besides disliked changes to nan app's image feature, which antecedently generated 4 images per petition and now only generates one.

A affirmative review

One affirmative reappraisal complimented nan app's caller personification interface for being "designed for wide users."

"Today, you are seeing nan first observant steps successful this guidance pinch an accent connected creating a simpler, calmer acquisition and giving everyone entree to caller Voice capabilities that unlock a caller measurement of communicating pinch AI that's overmuch much natural, and much fun," Kumar, nan Microsoft wide manager, said her statement.

More than 1 personification appeared unimpressed pinch a move toward nan Copilot becoming an "AI companion." This was an attack that Suleyman led astatine his erstwhile startup, Inflection AI.

"It tries to beryllium my friend erstwhile I request it to beryllium a tool," 1 personification wrote.

"I don't request an AI friend," different wrote. "I request a tool."

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