Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Microsoft Is Forcing Copilot Onto Word Users

According to an article on Office Watch, Microsoft is forcing Copilot, its generative AI product, onto Word users – whether they want it or not.

The paid versions of Copilot AI in Microsoft Word often appear when it’s not wanted and Microsoft isn’t giving their paying customers any choice.

Microsoft is assuming that anytime there’s a blank document or even paragraph that customers want Copilot to jump in. So they’ve put Copilot ‘front and center’ on the screen with no way remove it.

Users are presented with a Copilot prompt when they open a blank document and a Copilot icon appears beside blank paragraphs. 

I don't see this happening, although I do have a Microsoft 365 license, because I'm not using the paid version of Copilot (nor do I plan to get it). But I can understand how annoying this would be to some Word users; it would certainly annoy me, especially since there doesn't seem to be any way of stopping it from happening. 

My use of Word has declined quite a bit since I retired and it may reach the point that I decide that the free Libre Office may suit my needs. (I've already moved most of my spreadsheets over to Google Sheets). 

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