On Thursday, Microsoft made one of ChatGPT's most impressive features free for all, releasing a new "Think Deeper" mode for Copilot, powered by OpenAI's o1 reasoning model.
Think Deeper was originally trialed in October within Copilot Labs, Microsoft's AI playground for experimental features accessible to Copilot Pro subscribers. However, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman announced on LinkedIn yesterday that it will now be available to all Copilot users.
"Today we’ve made Think Deeper free and available for all users of Copilot" Sulleyman wrote, "I urge you to give it a try. It’s truly magical."
Think Deeper brings OpenAI's most advanced reasoning model to Copilot for free, eliminating the paywall that previously restricted access to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers, who can expect to pay up to $200 per month for unlimited access.
What is Copilot Think Deeper?
Unlike some of the more standard AI models you might have interacted with like GPT-4o, advanced reasoning models like o1 or DeepSeek-R1 are designed to tackle more complex tasks. This typically means taking longer to provide an answer while the model breaks down and analyzes the information step-by-step to produce a more logical response.
This makes reasoning models particularly useful for deep dives on dense topics, coding, or when constructing plans for larger projects. While regular models are great for helping with everyday tasks, reasoning models like the one used by Copilot Think Deeper go the extra mile on tougher asks, ensuring you get the richest and most accurate reply to your questions.
As Suleyman puts it, "Brain dump everything into Think Deeper and watch it churn through it all and spot out a step-by-step guide to making it happen." Suleyman also cites examples of his own use of Copilot Think Deeper in developing fitness routines and helping to manage product launches. However, Copilot's new reasoning tool is capable of so much more, with Suleyman highlighting that "The possible uses here are really infinite."
All Copilot users can now access Think Deeper for free using the AI's web portal or dedicated app on iOS or Android. Simply click or tap on the "Think Deeper" button within the prompt bar to get started.
Copilot refuses to take a backseat to DeepSeek
The news of Copilot's wider Think Deeper release comes amid a swirl of interest in reasoning models like o1 after Chinese startup DeepSeek managed to leapfrog ChatGPT to the top of the Apple App Store charts following the release of its own free-to-use R1 reasoning model earlier this month.
Microsoft's decision to bring Think Deeper out of the Copilot Labs and into the hands of its users may have been a strategic play, hoping to stymie the popularity of DeepSeek by offering access to a powerful free-to-use reasoning model of its own.
That said, the competition hasn't stopped Microsoft from announcing DeepSeek-R1 as the latest model to enter its Azure AI Foundry, adding to a catalog of over 1,800 AI models, with CVP of Microsoft AI Asha Sharma noting that it "offers a powerful, cost-efficient model that allows more users to harness state-of-the-art AI capabilities with minimal infrastructure investment."
However, it's a move not without controversy, as DeepSeek's success has painted a huge TikTok-shaped target on its back following concerns over data handling and privacy, and questions over the model's training processes.
More from Laptop Mag
