Amid DeepSeek’s Ongoing Hype, Microsoft Makes OpenAI’s o1 Reasoning Model Free for All Copilot Users
DeepSeek’s sudden surge—becoming the most downloaded AI chatbot on Apple’s App Store and rattling the financial market—continues to draw attention across the industry. While its cost-efficient R1 model has earned praise from figures like Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO), competition in the AI space appears to be heating up. In response, Microsoft is stepping up its efforts by making OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model freely available to all Copilot users, a move aimed at bolstering accessibility and ramping up AI adoption on the platform.
Microsoft Broadens Copilot Access
In a recent LinkedIn update from Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI CEO, the company announced that users of Copilot—its integrated AI assistant—will gain free access to “Think Deeper,” which incorporates capabilities from OpenAI’s o1 model. Previously, only those subscribed to ChatGPT Plus or Copilot Pro (at $20 monthly) could access these deeper reasoning features. Now, all Copilot users can benefit from more in-depth responses without incurring extra costs.
“We’ve got so much more in the pipeline right now that I can’t wait to tell you about,” teased Suleyman, underscoring Microsoft’s commitment to augmenting its AI offerings.
About ThinkDeeper
Launched as a preview feature in October via Copilot Labs, ThinkDeeper functions similarly to ChatGPT Plus by delivering more extensive, context-rich responses. With its advanced LLM core, it can handle complex prompts, offering detailed suggestions for code generation, project planning, or elaborate “what-if” scenarios—much like ChatGPT’s premium tier. However, by dropping the paywall around the tool, Microsoft aims to reach an even broader user base and prompt more immersive AI interactions.
A Rising Competitive Tide
DeepSeek’s R1 model drew comparisons to OpenAI’s o1, and Altman has both welcomed the challenge and reaffirmed OpenAI’s intention to accelerate its own roadmap. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s alignment with OpenAI’s technology remains steadfast, as the software giant has already signaled interest in localizing some of DeepSeek’s functionalities in forthcoming Windows Copilot+ features. The broader AI landscape is thus evolving in multiple directions—major tech players are looking to out-innovate each other or integrate new approaches, while new entrants such as DeepSeek vie for market share through cost advantages and alternative design philosophies.
Which aspect of ThinkDeeper are you most keen to explore now that it’s free to all Copilot users? Do you think Microsoft’s move will apply pressure on DeepSeek or other AI providers to offer similar free-tier expansions? Share your take below!
