Mr Viral
Microsoft has made Think Deeper, OpenAI’s GPT-o1 reasoning model, “free and available for all users of Copilot.”
This is just two weeks after increasing the cost of Copilot-infused Microsoft 365 by $3 per month and the release of DeepSeek R1, a competitive free and open source AI model from the eponymous China-based AI firm. Both o1 and R1 are so-called chain-of-thought models, in that they produce intermediary stages of output before settling on a final answer, which is supposed to help them iron out hallucinations, errors, and other low-quality stuff. Those intermediary stages emulate a form of artificial reasoning by the LLMs.
Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, shared the news of the o1 availability via Redmond’s LinkedIn.
“This now gives everyone access to OpenAI’s world-class o1 reasoning model in Copilot, everywhere at no cost,” said Suleyman, meaning no additional cost beyond what you’re already paying.
“I urge you to give it a try. It’s truly magical.”
Suleyman’s use of Apple’s well-worn marketing term perhaps doesn’t capture the mood at Microsoft this week. On Monday, Redmond’s stock dipped two percent as investors weighed the impact of DeepSeek’s AI models, which even the Windows giant has now rapidly integrated into its portfolio.
Microsoft shares have retreated another six percent since Wednesday (~$416 per share from ~$445) following the IT titan’s second quarter earnings report, a drop attributed to lighter than expected Azure revenue growth and revised financial guidance.
Suleyman’s loose definition of “free” hasn’t gone unnoticed – much like how the tech industry plays fast and loose with the word “open.”
“Hmm… within 24 hours of this being announced as being given out ‘for free’ I have just received an email from Microsoft informing me that my monthly family M365 subscription is going up by 31 percent,” said James Crouch, UK director at ElectroNet, responding to Suleyman’s post.
“Don’t get me wrong, I understand the strategy (especially with the panic around DeepSeek) and I will appreciate having access to o1 in Copilot. But it seems disingenuous to suggest this is being given away for free.”
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Leaving aside the debate over whether this is truly “free” – and we’re just talking about subscription fees here, not the environmental impact or capital expenditures, Suleyman urged users to try Think Deeper.
As mentioned, the the o1 model from Microsoft-bankrolled OpenAI is designed to work through complex tasks in a series of steps in a chain of thought process likened to the way people solve problems.
“Get in-depth advice on how to manage a career change, with detailed breakdowns of educational milestones and options, resources on where to look for roles, strategies for getting in the door and industry trends you absolutely need to know,” he said, pointing to various ways to explore the AI model’s chain of thought reasoning.
Microsoft employees caught off in this month’s job cuts no doubt will be delighted to consult Think Deeper about what comes next. ®
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