Microsoft reportedly prepares for GPT-5 with Copilot smart mode

References to GPT-5 have been found in Microsoft’s Copilot web app, suggesting a possible upcoming integration with OpenAI’s next-generation language model.

This mode is described as allowing Copilot to select the most suitable AI model for each request, aiming to remove the need for users to manually pick different models.

Currently, Copilot’s internal versions still indicate they use GPT-4, and there is no official mention of GPT-5 in the app yet.

Microsoft has a history of quickly adopting new OpenAI models for Copilot soon after their release.

Microsoft declined to comment on the references to GPT-5 or the new smart mode in Copilot.

🔗 Source: The Verge

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Microsoft’s exclusive partnership delivers consistent early access to OpenAI innovations

Microsoft’s early testing of GPT-5 through Copilot reflects the strategic advantage gained from their $1 billion investment in OpenAI back in 20191.

This partnership included an exclusivity agreement that gives Microsoft preferred access to OpenAI’s large-scale AI capabilities, explaining why Copilot consistently debuts new models before they’re widely available2.

The pattern has held consistently: Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing used GPT-4 for six weeks before OpenAI’s official announcement, and Copilot quickly integrated OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model as part of a major overhaul.

This access provides Microsoft with a significant competitive advantage, allowing them to refine implementations and gather user feedback while competitors wait for public releases.

The partnership structure, where OpenAI licenses technologies to Microsoft for commercialization, creates a mutually beneficial relationship that accelerates both companies’ AI development cycles3.

2️⃣ Tech giants are racing to eliminate AI model complexity through unified interfaces

Microsoft’s smart mode for Copilot mirrors a broader industry shift toward AI systems that automatically select optimal models rather than burdening users with technical choices.

Google has implemented a similar approach with AI Mode, which provides “proactive, personalized assistance” by automatically determining the best AI capabilities for each user query4.