Published on: April 27, 2025 / update from: April 27, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Chatgpt overtakes Microsoft Copilot: AI analysis of a growing discrepancy-Image: Xpert.digital
Microsoft's AI strategy under pressure: Chatgpt at the advantage
AI race: Why Chatgpt Microsoft Copilot depends
An internal Microsoft presentation reveals a remarkable development in the AI landscape: While Chatgpt is listening to continuous growth, the user base of Microsoft Copilot stagnates. This development raises questions about market dynamics in the AI area and has far-reaching implications for Microsoft's strategy.
Microsoft Copilot is currently mainly based on the Large Language models (LLMS) from Openaai, especially on GPT-4. GPT-4 is used as a central language model in various copilot versions-for example for Microsoft 365, Windows, Edge or Bing. The integration of Microsoft Graph also uses company data and context information to personalize the answers.
With “Think Deeper”, the new Openai model O1 has also been available for Copilot users with “Think Deeper”. This function, which was originally reserved for Copilot Pro subscribers, is explicitly based on the Openai O1 model and can now be used free of charge for all users. It enables deeper analyzes and structured answers for more complex questions.
Microsoft is currently working on reducing the dependence on Openai. Own AI models are already being developed and alternatives such as Deepseek, Meta Llama or Xai Grok are tested in order to achieve more flexibility and independence in the long term. So far, however, GPT-4 from Openai has been the main model behind Copilot, supplemented by new models such as O1 for special functions.
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The sobering numbers
At an annual management meeting in March 2025, Microsoft's CFO Amy Hood presented a graphic that compared the growth of both platforms. The result was sobering: While Copilot is stagnating with around 20 million weekly users, Chatgpt is growing and now reaches around 400 million weekly users. This means that Microsoft Copilot only reaches about 5% of Chatgpt's user base.
These numbers are particularly worrying for Microsoft when you consider that there are around 1.5 billion Windows users worldwide, of which only a little more than 1% regularly use copilot-despite the deep integration into the operating system. Chatgpt, on the other hand, was able to record a new visitor record with 2.9 billion access in June 2024 alone.
Rapid growth in Chatgpt
Chatgpt's growth dynamics is impressive. While it took nine months to grow from 100 million weekly active users in November 2023 to 200 million in August 2024, this number doubled again in the following six months. By February 2025, the platform had grown to 400 million weekly users. This development underlines the increasing acceptance and spread of chatt in various user groups.
Strategic importance for Microsoft
The comparison between Copilot and Chatgpt is of particular interest for several reasons:
Massive investments and integration
Microsoft has invested billions in AI development in recent years. The company has integrated Copilot into almost all of its products-from Windows 11 to Microsoft 365 to the EDGE browser. In addition, special Copilot+ PCs were launched and even a dedicated copilot button was inserted on keyboards. This comprehensive strategy should actually lead to a broad user base.
Financial interdependencies with Openaai
The situation is particularly piquant because Microsoft is also one of the largest investors in Openaai, the developer of Chatgpt. Microsoft has secured exclusive access to Openais models that are also used in Copilot through investments. The company presents a strategic dilemma that the competitive product of your own partner is more successful.
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Causes of the discrepancy
The reasons for the different success of both platforms are complex:
User acceptance and added value
A central problem seems to be the willingness of the users to pay for AI functions. Microsoft announced a price increase of 30% for Microsoft 365 at the end of 2024 and justified this with new AI functions. This price increase for many users met with criticism, especially since the added value of the AI functions is not clearly visible to many users.
Quality and user -friendliness
Critical reports indicate that the results produced by Copilot are often perceived as experimental or qualitatively inferior. The aggressive integration into existing products is sometimes perceived as intrusive, which further reduces user acceptance.
Different strengths
While Copilot plays its strengths, especially in the Microsoft environment, and convinces in office management, Chatgpt is valued for its flexibility and adaptability in various contexts. This versatility could be a crucial factor for the greater success of chatt.
Reactions and countermeasures from Microsoft
Microsoft reacted to the challenges with various strategies:
Personnel restructuring
Microsoft has employed Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google Deepmind and former CEO of the Ki Start-Ups Inflectionai, to become less dependent on Openaai and redesign copilot. Suleyman focuses on the “Rate of the successful meetings” (SSR) as an important metric for improving Copilot.
New functions and free offers
In January 2025, Microsoft introduced “Think Deeper”, a function based on the O1 model from Openaai that is available free of charge for all copilot users. In addition, new functions for Copilot were announced at the celebration of the company's 50th anniversary, including improved proactivity and action skills.
Focus on business applications
Microsoft emphasizes the business benefits of Copilot. According to the quarterly report in October 2024, the number of daily users of Microsoft 365 Copilot has more than doubled compared to the previous quarter, and almost 70% of the Fortune 500 companies now use Microsoft 365 copilot.
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Why the comparison is so interesting
The competition between Chatgpt and Copilot is of particular importance for several reasons:
Directional for the AI landscape
The development shows that technological integration alone is not sufficient to convince users. Despite massive investments and integration into widespread products, Microsoft cannot keep up with the growth of chatt. This could be an indicator of how the AI market will develop in the future.
Strategic dilemma for Microsoft
Microsoft is in a complex situation: As an investor in Openai, the company benefits from the success of Chatgpt, at the same time the Copilot product competes directly with it. This double role leads to interesting strategic considerations and could influence the partnership in the long term.
Question about the right business model
The comparison raises fundamental questions about the business model for AI products. Should they be offered as an independent services, such as chatt, or integrated into existing products, as with Microsoft? The different success rates of both approaches could be trend -setting for the entire industry.
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AI future: What Microsoft has to learn from Chatgpt
The stagnating user development in Microsoft Copilot compared to the continuous growth of chatt is a significant challenge for Microsoft's AI strategy. Despite massive investments and comprehensive integration into existing products, the company seems to convince users of its AI assistant.
The development illustrates that in the AI industry not only the technological performance is decisive, but also factors such as user-friendliness, perceived added value and a convincing business model. The competition between these two platforms will have a significant impact on how the market for AI assistants develops in the coming years and which strategies will pursue other companies.
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