Update: an update to this message centre post in June 2024 removed the bullet point “The chat style selector is to be replaced with a new Copilot settings toggle”. Microsoft also released a new screenshot, the previous selector and the proposed toggle are missing!

I’ve just seen this posted by Martin Gower-Smith where he quotes Microsoft: “…the conversational tone selector has been removed to limit the cognitive overhead of model selection on the end-user and want the chat/copilot itself to choose the right model for the conversation. Official Microsoft documentation is being updated to reflect the changes made to Copilot’s conversational styles”.

You can still ask Copilot which conversational styles are available and tell it which one to use, but it looks like the selector option is gone…because you apparently can’t cope with the “cognitive overhead” of having the choice.

TL;DR
Microsoft is making several minor tweaks to the Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) user interface. These include relocating disclaimers and a cleaner-looking experience for choosing your chat style. Now due mid-April to early May 2024.

Details
Microsoft Copilot UI updates include:

  1. Green “Protected” icon in the top right corner to become a green shield: Hover over the shield to see the flyout: “Commercial data protection applies to this chat. Use discretion when sharing personal and organizational data.”
  2. A persistent legal and data protection disclaimer with links for Terms, Privacy, and FAQs added below the chat prompt box and duplications of this message to be removed from elsewhere
  3. New AI accuracy disclaimer added to the bottom of each chat
  4. You will no longer see your company’s branding or logo as part of the Microsoft Copilot UI
  5. The chat style selector is to be replaced with a new Copilot settings toggle: choose your preferred chat style.  Additional Copilot settings will be added to the toggle when released.

Here’s an early screensot shared by Microsoft on the right of this slider, with what we used to have on the left:

Before/Proposed


I believe this updated screenshot was shared in June. Note that the old conversation style selector has been removed, as has the proposed ‘toggle’.


These changes will surface in several locations:

  • Copilot.microsoft.com
  • Copilot in Bing (bing.com/chat)
  • Copilot in Edge (sidebar)
  • Copilot in Windows
  • Mobile applications:
    • Microsoft Copilot
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Microsoft Bing
    • Microsoft Start

Availability
Due late March to mid-April 2024.
Now due mid-April to early May 2024.
Now due mid-April to early July 2024.

Source, related links, and references
MC756004.
After image: Microsoft.
Overview of Copilot with commercial data protection | Microsoft Learn.

Ask a question
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Suggested action
Please share this page with your colleagues to make them aware they have, or will lose the conversation style selector.

Page originally published
6th April 2024 and kept up to date.

Want to know what else is late, new, and coming soon across M365 and Teams this month? Check out the latest roundup.

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