Microsoft recently announced that it will terminate its consumer-facing custom Copilot AI service, Copilot GPT Builder, in one month. This decision, first reported by Microsoft technology journalist Paul Thurrott on his website, has attracted widespread attention from both inside and outside the industry.

According to the email sent by Microsoft to Copilot Pro subscribers and the official support page announcement, Microsoft will cancel the ability to create GPT starting from July 10, 2024, and delete all GPT and related data, including those created by Microsoft and customers, in the following days (by July 14, 2024). Microsoft refers to this change as "retirement," but it clearly means that the service will be completely withdrawn from the market.

Why did Microsoft decide to abandon this service less than three months after its launch?

Microsoft stated on the support page that they are shifting the focus of GPT to commercial and enterprise scenarios and ceasing further development of GPT in the consumer-facing Copilot. This decision means that although some form of Copilot GPT Builder may still be retained in the enterprise edition, Microsoft has not made a public announcement regarding this.

On Thurrott's website, some commenters speculate that the adoption rate of this feature may be low, leading to Microsoft's decision to abandon it. Professor Ethan Mollick, a renowned expert in the AI field, also expressed surprise at this decision, believing that it could hinder innovation for grassroots users.

In order to mitigate the impact of this change on existing users, Microsoft has provided a limited solution for users who have used Copilot GPT Builder to create custom Copilot GPT: allowing them to copy instructions for future reference. However, for users who rely on custom GPT to work in Copilot, this measure may only offer limited help.

Copilot GPT Builder originally allowed Copilot Pro subscribers to create and share customized, task-specific chatbots, providing users with the opportunity to customize AI tools according to specific needs. The tool had "Create" and "Configure" tabs, allowing users to build and further customize, including using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to integrate external data and switch between web browsing and image generation functions.

Microsoft also promises to delete all data collected through Copilot GPT Builder to comply with its privacy statement commitments. For users who wish to cancel Copilot Pro subscriptions or need to manage subscription information, Microsoft provides detailed guidance on its website.

The termination of Copilot GPT Builder has sparked speculation about Microsoft's AI strategy and future development. While Microsoft is shifting the focus of GPT to commercial and enterprise scenarios, it remains to be seen whether this decision will affect its overall competitiveness in the AI field. At the same time, it has also raised more curiosity about the fate of OpenAI's similar GPT Builder and custom GPT Store.

Microsoft's decision undoubtedly brings some shock to the AI customization field. Although Microsoft is trying to find new growth points by shifting towards commercial and enterprise scenarios, finding a balance between user satisfaction and driving innovation remains an important challenge it faces.