Microsoft’s AI Copilot is coming to your messaging apps, starting with Telegram

Love it or loathe it, Microsoft’s Copilot AI is making its presence felt beyond the confines of your PC, recently making an appearance within messaging apps, particularly Telegram. Microsoft appears to have quietly introduced Copilot into the Telegram platform, offering users a firsthand experience of its capabilities.

Reportedly part of Microsoft’s new project called ‘copilot-for-social’, this initiative aims to integrate generative AI into social media apps. The Copilot bot seems to be operational in Telegram, primarily in the US and UK, with the potential for expansion to other regions. While it’s accessible for free, users need to provide their phone numbers for activation.

To access the Copilot bot on Telegram, users can simply search for ‘@CopilotOfficialBot’ in the app’s search bar, initiating a new message thread where Copilot provides an overview of its functionalities. With a daily query limit of 30 questions, users can interact with Copilot seamlessly across various platforms, including desktop, phone, and web versions of Telegram.

The requirement to verify your phone number for Copilot activation may be aimed at compliance with data regulations in the EU, potentially limiting access for users in that region for now. However, it’s anticipated that EU users will eventually have access to Copilot on Telegram.

While Copilot may spark excitement for some, others may harbor reservations about an AI having access to their messaging app. This integration with Telegram brings to mind previous attempts by platforms like Snapchat to introduce AI chatbots, which met with mixed success.

As generative AI chatbots become increasingly ubiquitous, it’s conceivable that Copilot’s integration into Telegram is just the beginning. Microsoft might explore integration with other messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger, a prospect that may not sit well with everyone. Hopefully, Microsoft will maintain a non-intrusive approach to Copilot’s integration, allowing users to opt into its services rather than imposing it upon them.