Would you use Copilot if Microsoft started integrating it into messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Messenger? Microsoft seems to think so.
Last week, Microsoft quietly introduced a new Copilot bot for Telegram. This bot requires your phone number and works only outside the EU, but it offers Copilot in Telegram for free.
The Telegram Copilot bot is part of Microsoft’s new project, “copilot-for-social,” which aims to bring generative AI to social apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram. While we don’t know if WhatsApp-based Copilot is in the works, Microsoft has launched the official Copilot bot on Telegram, which you can find by searching for @CopilotOfficialBot.
The bot is in beta and verified on Telegram. It will also appear in the search results if you search “Copilot.”
In our tests, Windows Latest observed that the Copilot Telegram bot works only in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia.
Hands-on with Microsoft Copilot in Telegram
The Copilot bot has three commands:/ideas, /share, and /restart. The /ideas command helps you understand what you can ask Microsoft’s AI. It could be anything, such as tips for organizing a portfolio or help with your project work. The /share command lets you share the bot with your friend, and /restart resets the conversation.
But there’s a catch. To use Copilot for Telegram, Microsoft requires you to enter your phone number.
Microsoft claims that the company needs the phone number for security reasons and will not store it for anything else.
“To ensure a secure experience, we require a quick one-time verification of your mobile number linked with your Telegram account. We don’t store your number,” Microsoft noted in a message that pops up in Telegram when users start the bot.
But why would Microsoft need your phone number to enable a “secure experience” on a private messaging app like Telegram? Windows Latest understands that Microsoft is forcing users to share their phone numbers to verify the account’s location.
When Microsoft detects the EU country code, it will block you from using the bot.
It’s also worth noting that Copilot’s Telegram bot isn’t as powerful as the web or Windows counterpart. While it works for most tasks, it’s limited to 30 messages daily, and you cannot generate images using the bot.
In our tests, we observed that the bot is based on GPT-4, GPT-3.5, and Microsoft’s in-house models. It’s not possible to switch between the three modes: Creative, Balanced and Precise.
Microsoft dynamically selects the AI models and recommends using mobile apps for greater control. If you’re on Windows 11, you can also try a new Copilot app that mimics the design of ChatGPT.
