Microsoft is simplifying its Copilot lineup by bringing its consumer and Microsoft 365 Copilot experiences closer together while removing several AI features that have not gained enough traction.

The changes mark a shift in Microsoft’s approach to Copilot as the company tries to make its AI assistant easier to use and more competitive with services such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

Microsoft Is Combining Copilot Experiences

Microsoft previously offered separate Copilot experiences for consumers and professional users. The company is now moving toward a more unified experience.

The goal is to make Copilot feel less complicated and give users a more consistent way to access Microsoft’s AI tools.

Microsoft says some features may temporarily disappear during the transition. Files created through the standalone Copilot app will also be moved to OneDrive.

Several Copilot Features Are Going Away

Microsoft is also removing a number of features from Copilot.

For consumers, the company says the following features will no longer be available after August 18, 2026:

  • Group Chats
  • AI-generated podcasts
  • Copilot Labs experimental features
  • Deep Research

Professional users will have access to Researcher as an alternative to Deep Research.

Microsoft is also retiring Mico, the animated character that appeared alongside Copilot.

Why Microsoft Is Changing Copilot

The changes suggest Microsoft is moving away from adding more experimental AI features and focusing on the parts of Copilot that people actually use.

The AI market has become increasingly competitive, with companies including Microsoft, OpenAI, Google and Anthropic consolidating multiple AI tools into fewer, more capable products.

For Microsoft, simplifying Copilot could make the service easier for both everyday users and businesses to understand.

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