Microsoft Bets on Influencers to Boost Copilot’s Popularity

Microsoft is reportedly taking some unusual route to boost the popularity of its Copilot chatbot. That’s according to a Bloomberg report, it’s doing that by partnering with social media influencers instead of tech experts.

The company recently launched a marketing campaign featuring online personalities like Alix Earle and the Pheloung twins. Per the report, the idea is to make Copilot resonate with Gen Z audiences. As Microsoft keeps on saying, Copilot isn’t just a productivity tool but your digital companion. Now, it’s betting on social media influencers to cement that narrative.

Microsoft’s Consumer CMO Yusuf Mehdi called Copilot a “challenger brand” in the consumer AI space. Mehdi admits that the company still lags behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. Despite 150 million monthly users, Copilot is far behind ChatGPT’s huge 800 million weekly user base. That’s a gap Microsoft hopes influencers can help close.

In one viral TikTok video, Alix Earle asked Copilot how to appear younger, captioning her post “Copilot is my mentor & therapist.” Interestingly, the video racked up over 15 million views. Whereas others featuring fashion creators Brigette and Danielle Pheloung saw millions more. Microsoft says engagement metrics show the campaign is “driving usage.”

Rather than pushing Copilot for business use, Microsoft is now positioning Copilot as an everyday AI assistant. The company says Copilot can do a lot if things, including helping people with life advice, fashion choices, or even trip planning.

Gartner’s Jason Wong still believes that while influencer marketing can help Microsoft boost Copilot’s visibility, surpassing ChaptGPT “will be difficult.” Given that Microsoft has already taken the bet, it’ll be interesting to see how things pan out down the line.

Do you think influencer marketing for Copilot is a good idea? We’d love to hear your thoughts, make sure to comment below.

Article feature image source: Microsoft | Via: Bloomberg