Microsoft ‘s Copilot ad has been criticized by an industry watchdog for its performance claims and confusing use of the Copilot branding. The BBB’s National Advertising Division National Programs (NAD) analyzed Microsoft’s Copilot ads and recommended that the software giant discontinue or modify its productivity claims for Microsoft 365 Copilot and more clearly disclose the limitations of its Business Chat feature.
Microsoft claims that Copilot improves productivity and return on investment (ROI) for companies that use the AI assistant, including that “67%, 70%, and 75% of users say they are more productive” after a certain period of using Copilot. “The NAD found that while the study demonstrates perceived productivity, it does not adequately address the objective claims under consideration,” the watchdog said in its review. “As a result, the NAD has recommended that the ad be discontinued or modified to disclose its basis.”
In addition to the recommended changes to the productivity ads, the NAD also suggests that Copilot users may be misled by Microsoft’s extensive use of the Copilot branding in many products, including Business Chat. “The NAD concluded, based on the context of the statements and the ubiquitous use of the product description as ‘Copilot,’ that consumers would not necessarily understand the differences.” The NAD recommended that Microsoft “modify its advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose any material limitations related to how Business Chat helps users.”
Microsoft has been confusing the Copilot branding for years. Earlier this year, Microsoft relaunched its Copilot for Business with free AI chat and paid agents in an effort to address some of the branding issues. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, as it is now known, started out as Bing Chat Enterprise before Microsoft rebranded it and renamed it Copilot, which caused confusion. Somewhere in the middle of that rebranding, Business Chat, which was originally a chatbot in Teams, morphed into Business Chat for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
As I wrote in the Notebook almost a year ago, Microsoft is rebranding Copilot in a way that is most characteristic of Microsoft. It’s all part of an attempt to get companies to use Copilot more and then pay extra for a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription.
Microsoft says it does not agree with the NAD’s findings, but will “follow the NAD’s recommendations to clarify its claims.” Hopefully, this means that the Copilot branding will become clearer in the future.
