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Microsoft abandons personal AI chatbot race with Copilot reboot

157 points · 154 comments · sbulaev

  1. red_admiral · · focus · HN ↗
    > Companies were paying for more than 30 million Copilot subscriptions as of the end of June. And while individual users are free to use limited versions of Copilot’s chat experience, its most powerful tools are reserved for subscribers to the company’s M365 apps bundle, which has about 90 million paying users.

    It needs to be more widely known that if you cancel a (home) 365 subscription, you'll be offered a cheaper version without AI integration.

    1. pfortuny · · focus · HN ↗
      Sorry what? Honest question.
      1. doubled112 · · focus · HN ↗
        Microsoft allows you to subscribe to Microsoft 365 personal or family without AI for a small discount, but they hid the option on a page you can only get to if you click cancel on your subscription.
        1. Razengan · · focus · HN ↗
          H..how is this legal.. in 2026
          1. dgellow · · focus · HN ↗
            Likely illegal in the EU. But in the US? 2026 is the year of open corruption, as long as the administration likes you you can do whatever you want.

            It’s really surprising to me that after the US public hasn’t internalized how corrupt the country has become. It’s all coming from the top

            1. hdgvhicv · · focus · HN ↗
              The US has never been strong on consumer protection. It’s that individualism and buyer beware culture.
            2. lucumo · · focus · HN ↗
              Nah, not illegal in the EU. Giving a retention offer to leavers is something magazines sometimes do. It's a bit sleazy, but not illegal.
            3. collingreen · · focus · HN ↗
              Some of us have internalized it! It's like walking around in the twilight zone or the bodysnatchers movie sometimes. In a dream society we could agree on some values and argue about how to direct our shared efforts. In this one we can't agree on values or even facts. It's equal parts maddening and terrifying.

              We need help in avoiding the worst futures that could come from this.

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