Microsoft merges Copilot apps, drops several underperforming AI features
Microsoft is combining its consumer and business Copilot apps into one product while discontinuing multiple AI features that failed to gain traction. The changes take effect by August 18, 2026.
Microsoft plans to merge its separate consumer-facing Copilot app with the business-oriented Microsoft 365 Copilot app into a single product, according to Microsoft's support documentation, first reported by GeekWire.
The consolidation reflects the reality that personal and professional AI use often overlap, and also signals that Microsoft's earlier approach was too fragmented to make Copilot a serious rival to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. The move fits a broader trend of AI companies simplifying their app lineups: Anthropic recently folded Cowork into Claude's Chat, OpenAI merged its Operator agent feature into ChatGPT, and Google has been adding capabilities like combined deep research and web browsing directly into Gemini.
Features being cut
By August 18, 2026, consumer users will lose access to Group Chats, AI-generated podcasts, the experimental Copilot Labs features, and Deep Research. Paying professional subscribers will get a replacement for Deep Research through a feature called Researcher. Microsoft warns that other features may temporarily disappear during the transition, and files created in the standalone Copilot app will be migrated to OneDrive.
The company is also retiring Mico, its animated blob-like character designed to give Copilot more personality, which drew comparisons to the old Clippy assistant.
Microsoft describes the goal as creating a "simpler, more cohesive experience." The changes follow an internal memo reported by The Information in July, in which Microsoft executive Jacob Andreou, who oversees Copilot, reportedly said the product needed to earn its place in users' lives by cutting features that weren't working.
