Microsoft is reimagining Copilot for consumers. We don’t know what went wrong, but it’s fair to assume Copilot Pro for consumers isn’t profitable, which is probably why Microsoft has removed “GPT Builder”. As Windows Latest reported, Microsoft announced plans to remove GPT Builder in June. Starting last week, it is no longer available.
For those unaware, GPT Builder is one of the premium features of ChatGPT. It allows anyone to build their own personalized and customized version of “ChatGPT”. Like OpenAI, Microsoft also offered “GPT Builder” in Copilot, but only those with a $20 Copilot Pro subscription could use the feature.
Copilot Pro’s GPT Builder was on par with ChatGPT’s GPT Builder, but unlike OpenAI’s solution, Microsoft’s implementation was limited to a handful number of GPTs. You could only choose from Microsoft’s GPTs or create your own. Unfortunately, Microsoft has just killed off GPT Builder for Copilot Pro to focus on enterprise customers.
If you’ve Copilot Pro, which costs $20, you can no longer use GPT Builder. Microsoft tells me it has deleted all Copilot GPT Builder data or existing GPTs you might have built, but it is worth noting that users had 30 days to back up their GPTs (custom instructions).
“As of July 10, you will no longer be able to create and configure Copilot GPTs in Copilot Pro, and any Copilot GPTs that you created will no longer be accessible. If you created Copilot GPTs, you can save those custom instructions,” Microsoft noted in an email to its customers.
Remember, the option to save the custom instructions was available only until July 10, and all data has been deleted.
What’s particularly interesting is that GPT Builder will remain available for enterprise customers.
It makes sense to cut down on features that few people use and are expensive to maintain, but this decision makes Copilot Pro less appealing. I pointed this out in my previous article on Copilot Pro, but I want to repeat it again: Copilot for consumers isn’t as attractive as ChatGPT unless you specifically need it for Microsoft apps.
What makes Copilot Pro unique compared to ChatGPT is its integration into Microsoft apps such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It was also integrated into Windows, but Microsoft has turned it off. Coplfot for Windows is just a web app that does not have a deeper integration with Windows.
If you want to build your own GPT or customize AI behaviour, you’ll need to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20. The same price is also for Copilot Pro.
In fact, in the email sent to customers, Microsoft noted that people can always cancel Copilot Pro if it no longer meets their expectations.
“If you do not wish to continue your Copilot Pro subscription, you can cancel it by logging into your Microsoft account and turning off recurring billing,” Microsoft noted.
According to Microsoft’s statement, GPT Builder retirement will allow the company to “focus on different AI features that improve Copilot Pro”.
Microsoft surveying Copilot users
Microsoft also sent a 7-minute survey to Copilot Pro users on July 1 to understand how people use the AI. The feedback tries to understand the user expectations from Copilot Pro, including the Windows app.
In the survey, Microsoft asked users how Copilot has changed their lives, their opinions on AI, features that didn’t perform, and whether the performance of Copilot has gotten worse over time.
Microsoft isn’t giving up on Copilot for consumers, but it’s likely exploring new ways to make profit.
