And the citations are valid!!!
I am currently testing Co-Pilot, Microsoft’s integrated AI on my laptop. I am really impressed. I use AI to assist in researching articles, blog posts, and essays. One of the frustrating things that I have come across is how many AI competitors have a tendency towards feeding false citations.
Think about that for a moment. Let’s say your kid needs information for their term paper and they utilize AI for a search and they receive incorrect information! Now, students, writers, and anyone else who uses AI are responsible for verifying any data. But how awesome would be if an AI included live links with thumbnails!!
Enter Co-Pilot, Microsoft has dug into their deep pockets and deep experience to create an AI that has citations built into the information. If a business site is referenced in the response, a thumbnail, A LIVE LINK is included. So you get the benefit of a summary as a starting point for research, AND you get legit links. Now I have used ChatGPT for several months now and as a first iteration, it fits the bill. But Co-Pilot is what a normal person needs, a tool that integrates into a Windows environment, a tool that sits next to your browser when needed without logging in and without the additional payment, coupled with accurate citations and live links and you have a gamechanger.
I have one recommendation. The interface is still wooden. It would be nice to see the conversational types of interaction that tools like PI have. (Although PI can be a little TOO chatty!)
As a pastor, I do a lot of research and I use AI tools to help narrow down research and to provide a few rabbit holes to explore and help smooth language. But I found myself going back to Google frequently because I couldn’t trust the information I was getting wasn’t plagiarized from elsewhere or accurate. Both are critical things to consider when you are a spiritual leader and academic!
Given how long ChatGPT has been around and how well-financed the operation has been, I am a little disappointed that they were beaten to this by Microsoft. This level of interaction and accuracy should have been the goal from day 1. Let’s see if they can play catch up! We are very early in the AI wars! But for right now Co-Pilot is the superior product and one to look forward to!