Microsoft Copilot Studio lets anyone build custom AI copilots

Last week OpenAI announced its new GPT platform to let anyone create their own version of ChatGPT, and now Microsoft is following with Copilot Studio: a new no-code solution that lets businesses create a custom copilot or integrate a custom ChatGPT AI chatbot.

Microsoft Copilot Studio is designed primarily to extend Microsoft 365 Copilot, the paid service that Microsoft launched earlier this month. Businesses can now customize the Copilot in Microsoft 365 to include datasets, automation flows, and even custom copilots that aren't part of the Microsoft Graph that powers Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft Copilot Studio includes a GUI for creating copilots.

“With Copilot Studio, building AI assistants, connecting them to your key business systems is as simple as talking to one,” claims Jared Spataro, head of modern work and business applications at Microsoft. IT admins can use natural language or a graphical interface in Microsoft Copilot Studio to link new data sources from partners like SAP, Workday, ServiceNow, and more, alongside the ability to create and publish custom copilots.

“Now, you can use natural language to describe what you want — and Copilot Studio will help you build and iterate the conversation design,” says Spataro. That could be anything from a copilot on a website to help answer product queries to a copilot inside a quarterly earnings release.

Copilot Studio will also act as a tool for IT admins to monitor usage and analytics of copilots, including control over who can build custom copilots. Additionally, it will serve as a hub for integrating in custom ChatGPT chatbots made using OpenAI's GPT platform. “As part of the strategic partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft, we make it easy to integrate OpenAI's services seamlessly within Microsoft's existing ecosystem,” says Spataro. “And following the latest announcements from OpenAI's first DevDay, we're committed to supporting GPTs, so makers can leverage that technology within Copilot Studio.”