Microsoft Copilot has been upgraded to offer users access to GPT-4 Turbo through its free tier. To utilize this feature, users can access Copilot via their desktop browser or the Android and iOS mobile app. Once accessed, users can set the conversation style in Copilot to either Creative or Precise to activate GPT-4 Turbo.
Last year, OpenAI unveiled its more advanced GPT-4 Turbo model, featuring an updated knowledge cut-off and more cost-effective usage compared to the standard GPT-4. Now, Microsoft Copilot provides users with free access to this AI model, with no payment required. You can start using it immediately via the Microsoft Copilot website or app at no charge.
Mikhail Parakhin, the lead of the Windows and Web Experiences team at Microsoft since Panos’ departure, shared this information on X (formerly Twitter) on March 12, 2024.
In the X post, Parakhin announces that Copilot Pro users will have the option to switch back to using only GPT-4. However, there’s a twist, as GPT-4 Turbo isn’t automatically active at all times.
Responding to a user’s question in the comments about whether all three conversation modes of Copilot have this feature, Mikhail stated, “Yes, but to varying extents. Creative and Precise modes are (almost fully) GPT-4 Turbo, while Balanced mode utilizes it only in certain cases (and often for the inner monologue).”
Previously, Copilot primarily utilized the GPT-4 model by default. However, it appears that going forward, it will continue to use GPT-4, but only for the “Balanced” mode. Therefore, if you predominantly operate Copilot in the Balanced mode, you may no longer be utilizing its full capabilities.
There’s speculation that OpenAI is developing GPT-4.5 Turbo (these models keep on coming, don’t they?), and this adjustment could potentially be to pave the way for integrating the more advanced model into Copilot’s Pro tier.
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You might be wondering, “Why should I bother using GPT-4 Turbo?” Well, here’s why: Unlike the standard GPT-4 model, which has a knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, GPT-4 Turbo extends this all the way up to April 2023. This means that GPT-4 Turbo will provide more accurate responses and hallucinate less for facts up to April last year, enhancing your ability to get accurate answers to your questions.
But that’s not all. GPT-4 Turbo also boasts a significantly larger context window, four times more than that of GPT-4. This means you can ask Copilot a multitude of follow-up questions without it losing track, enabling smoother interactions. This also allows for the use of larger prompts without fear of the chatbot losing focus midway through.
Moreover, GPT-4 Turbo pays closer attention to the subtle details of your prompts, ensuring that it delivers precisely what you’re asking for. This addresses issues such as GPT-4’s inability to respond in XML when prompted.
With all these improvements, what are your thoughts on Copilot offering free access to GPT-4 Turbo? Share your opinions in the comments below!
