In this video, Steve Corey dives into the key differences between Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, two leading large language models (LLMs). While both offer impressive capabilities, they cater to different needs.
Grounding and Information Access
Both AI models can access and process information from the real world to answer your prompts. ChatGPT relies on web searches for grounding, while Copilot goes a step further. It can not only search the web but also access your business data stored in various Microsoft products like SharePoint and Power Platform. This makes Copilot a more powerful tool for tasks that require insights from your specific business information.
Customizability
If you’re looking to create custom AI models, ChatGPT offers more flexibility. However, it requires coding knowledge and expertise with OpenAI’s APIs. Copilot provides a user-friendly alternative with Copilot Studio, a visual interface that allows you to build and customize Copilots without needing to write code.
Trainability and Security
A potential downside of ChatGPT’s customizability is the ability to train the model with new information. While this can be useful for specific purposes, it can also lead to security risks if done incorrectly. For instance, there have been cases where users accidentally trained ChatGPT on sensitive data. Copilot prioritizes security and restricts users from training the model. This ensures your data remains protected.
Integration and Compatibility
Integration with existing workflows is another key differentiator. Copilot seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products like Word, Excel, SharePoint, and Teams. This allows Copilot to understand the context of your work and provide more relevant assistance within those applications. ChatGPT offers fewer built-in integrations, making it less convenient for tasks that involve Microsoft products.
Compliance
For businesses with strict compliance requirements, Copilot stands out. As part of the Microsoft ecosystem, Copilot adheres to Microsoft’s robust security and compliance controls. This ensures your data is protected and handled according to your organization’s policies. ChatGPT offers some basic security features but lacks the built-in compliance features of Copilot.
Footnotes
- ChatGPT may provide footnotes (source of information) for its responses, but it’s not a consistent feature.
- Microsoft Copilot consistently provides footnotes for its responses, allowing you to easily fact-check the information.
Additional Considerations
Here are some additional points for you to consider:
- Cost. ChatGPT offers a free tier with limited features, while Copilot is currently in private preview and pricing has not been announced.
- Community and support. ChatGPT has a larger and more active community than Copilot, but Copilot is backed by Microsoft’s support team.
- Future roadmap. Both ChatGPT and Copilot are constantly being updated with new features. It’s important to consider the future roadmap of each tool when making your decision.
Ethical and Societal Implications
- ChatGPT. As a powerful language model, ChatGPT raises ethical concerns regarding potential misuse for generating misinformation, deepfakes, or harmful content. OpenAI is actively addressing these issues through research, safety guidelines, and content moderation efforts.
- Copilot. Similar ethical considerations apply to Copilot, particularly in the context of business data usage and potential biases in AI-generated outputs. Microsoft is committed to responsible AI development and has implemented measures to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in Copilot’s design and deployment.
The Takeaway
Ultimately, the choice between Copilot and ChatGPT depends on your specific needs. If you prioritize customization and are comfortable with coding, ChatGPT might be a good option. However, for businesses that value security, compliance, and seamless integration with Microsoft products, Copilot offers a more comprehensive and user-friendly solution.
