Microsoft disables GPT Builder in Copilot Pro
Copilot's GPT Builder for creating your own chatbots will be discontinued shortly after its launch, but only for Copilot Pro subscribers.
(Image: Microsoft)
That was quick: just a few months after Microsoft introduced the GPT Builder, it is being shut down again. The GPT Builder is part of the subscription to Microsoft's Copilot Pro and Copilot for Microsoft 365 AI services and allows individual chatbots to be configured and conditioned for specific tasks, similar to the GPT Builder from OpenAI/ChatGPT.
"Copilot Pro" is the subscription that is linked to a simple Microsoft account. The service is independent of an MS 365 subscription and is primarily intended for private users. "Copilot for Microsoft 365", on the other hand, can be added to a Microsoft 365 business account on a user-by-user basis, and Microsoft is actually only switching off the GPT Builder for Copilot Pro users; business customers can continue to use it. This clearly points to product policy rather than technical reasons. This is also how Microsoft's official reasoning can be interpreted in a short FAQ on the subject, which Microsoft links to in a brief letter to all Copilot Pro subscribers:
"We continue to evaluate our strategy for Copilot consumer extensibility and prioritize the most important product experiences while remaining committed to developer opportunities. To that end, we are shifting our focus on GPTs to commercial and enterprise scenarios and halting GPT efforts in Consumer Copilot."
The last sentence is particularly relevant. It can also be translated as "private customers are not that important to us". A look at the official Microsoft roadmap for upcoming Copilot developments also speaks for itself: Copilot Pro is not even listed there as a filterable product; all announcements relate to Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Copilot Pro subscribers must take action
For all subscribers who have built their own GPTs, Microsoft recommends copying the associated configuration instructions by hand (i.e. copy & paste) somewhere else, purely for archiving purposes. From July 10, Microsoft will begin to delete all data irretrievably. In addition to the user-defined GPTs, this will also include all data collected by the GPT Builder.
Microsoft also explains that existing Copilot Pro subscriptions will not be automatically renewed due to the unilateral contract change. They will expire at the end of the next billing period and must be reactivated manually in the Microsoft account. However, this can be done at any time, even after the Copilot Pro subscription has been deactivated.
(swi)
