Highlights:

  • Copilot can create text, code, and images by interpreting natural language prompts.
  • The no-cost edition of ChatGPT, in more direct competition with Microsoft’s recent Copilot app, utilizes a less advanced model known as GPT-3, which was introduced in 2020.

Microsoft Corporation has released an Android app that offers free access to its Copilot AI assistant.

The app, named Microsoft Copilot, is now accessible. There is speculation among observers that an iOS version may be released shortly. Users can download and utilize the app without needing a Microsoft account.

Copilot has the ability to create text, code, and images using natural language prompts. Users can input not only text but also images in their prompts. For instance, a user might offer Copilot a picture of a router and request an explanation of the device’s function.

Behind the scenes, Copilot relies on OpenAI’s latest GPT-4 large language model. OpenAI offers access to GPT-4 through its ChatGPT service, which is available only in the paid Pro and Enterprise editions. The free version of ChatGPT, which directly competes with Microsoft’s new Copilot app, utilizes a less advanced model known as GPT-3, which was introduced in 2020.

Microsoft did not specify the particular version of GPT-4 that fuels the Android release of Copilot. The language model comes in two variants: a standard version and a more advanced Turbo edition introduced by OpenAI at its DevDay product event earlier last month.

GPT-4 Turbo exhibits a higher precision in comprehending user instructions compared to the standard version. Furthermore, the model boasts a knowledge base updated as recently as this past April, enhancing the quality of its outputs. The third notable advantage of the Turbo edition over the standard GPT-4 is its capability to accommodate significantly more information in each prompt.

The image generation features of the new Copilot app are driven by another OpenAI AI model known as DALL-E 3. This model, introduced in September of this year, is the most recent addition to a series of AI image generators that the company started releasing in 2021.

OpenAI notes that other models in the same category frequently overlook portions of the user’s prompts, especially when given complex prompts. DALL-E 3 exhibits fewer errors of this nature, enabling it to produce images of higher quality. Incorporated safety measures ensure that the model avoids creating content that could be harmful or mimic the style of a living artist.

Similar to GPT-4, DALL-E 3 is accessible to users through both Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT service. However, the ChatGPT service gives paid users access to the model, whereas the Copilot implementation is available for free.

Since the AI assistant, formerly known as Bing Chat, made its debut in February, Microsoft has incorporated Copilot into a number of its main products. The assistant is included with Bing and Windows 11. Additionally, Microsoft has integrated a version of Copilot into Microsoft 365, the comprehensive product suite that features the Office productivity suite. This integration is designed to assist workers in swiftly accessing data from business documents.