TAPAs: Tips for Using Microsoft Copilot

In the last two years, since OpenAI dropped ChatGPT on the market, the importance, utility, and presence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has dramatically increased. It continues on that rapidly upward trend and will likely do so for the foreseeable future. GenAI refers to learning models capable of generating high-quality text in various formats, as well as images, music, and other forms of content using the data on which the models were trained and often resulting from prompts provided by the user. Historically, AI’s performance is related to the analysis of data and the performance of specific tasks, while GenAI can create new content. GenAI has significantly changed the game in many aspects of our personal and professional lives. Expect much more soon.

As with all technology, GenAI gives us a double-edged sword. It can prove tremendously valuable and helpful, or it can create myriad problems and put us in a world of hurt.

Today, we will focus primarily on the positive side. We want to talk to you about Microsoft’s new player in the GenAI field, Copilot, which came online on April 1, 2024. We have explored Copilot fairly extensively in the last two months. We see it as a technological onion, with layer upon layer to peel off and learn. Copilot has very much impressed us, and we enjoy using it as we learn more about its capabilities. We have chosen the extra features in the Pro version ($20 per month) and think that represents a good value. We do not intend to go into Copilot’s capabilities in this article; we will do that in other pieces. Today, we want to operate from the assumption that you have started using Copilot or chosen to check it out; we will offer you some tips to get the most out of Copilot. Incidentally, we consider that our first “tip” but won’t count it in the total. We think you should give Copilot a chance. You may want to start with the free (more limited) subscription to try it out, but you will probably want to upgrade to the pro version. We asked Copilot to explain to us the differences between the two versions and got this response:

Copilot (Free)

•  Access to GPT-4 and to GPT-4 Turbo during non-peak times (users may be limited to older models as needed during peak times).
• 15 daily boosts for image generation.

Copilot Pro

•  Accelerated AI performance.
• Better quality image generation using DALL-E 3.
• 100 daily boosts for faster image creation.
• Landscape image format available.
• Access to GPT-4 Turbo during peak usage times. According to Microsoft’s press releases, owners of the new Copilot+ PCs will also get access to GPT-4o, the latest iteration.
• Ability to enable AI features in Office apps.
  
  

We were sold on Copilot Pro because of its ability to enable AI features in the Office Suite and its access to GPT-4 Turbo beyond non-peak times.

Now for some tips:

Tip 1. Choose the Right Version

Copilot does not offer a single, unified experience. Copilot accessed through the browser differs from Copilot accessed through Word. Both represent manifestations of the same technology, but each has a different function and focus. Accordingly, you will likely get overlapping but different responses to the same question from each. If you want help with vacation planning, image creation, or fitness training, access Copilot through the web browser. If you want to generate text, use the iteration in Word.

Tip 2. Query with Clarity (This Is the Everything-Including-the-Kitchen-Sink Tip)

When you tell Copilot what you want, use detail and present it clearly and simply. Generally, the more precise detail you provide, the more closely the response will approach what you seek. Provide context: The better Copilot understands the task you want it to perform, the more likely it will do it well. Pay attention to punctuation, spelling, and grammar to limit confusion or misinterpretation by Copilot. Use quotation marks where appropriate to help Copilot understand what you want when you ask it to write or rewrite or modify some text for you. Don’t mix topics. That confuses people with natural intelligence; it does the same for AI. If you switch topics, start a new chat. As an interesting side note, when we asked Copilot to provide tips for getting the most out of the program, to our surprise, the first thing it said was: “Be professional: Use polite language to improve Copilot’s responses.” And they say AI has no feelings. . . .

Tip 3. Be Aware of Copilot’s Limitations

Copilot has limitations. Learn them, and don’t just take Copilot’s word for something. For example, if you ask Copilot whether it can do legal research, it will respond in the affirmative. We do not recommend that you use Copilot for legal research as it does not have access to particular legal databases and simply draws information from what it finds available on the web. We love Copilot but will continue to use a legal database search tool such as those provided by Thomson-Reuters, Lexis, Fastcase, etc., for legal research. If you want general information, Copilot works well.

Tip 4. Use Copilot’s Chat Interface

Copilot takes great advantage of its ChatGPT engine. It comes with a highly functional chat interface that allows you to engage it in real conversations. Use that interface to talk to Copilot about what you want, what it can do, and what it needs from you to do what you want it to do (assuming that it can).

Tip 5. In President Reagan’s Words, Trust but Verify

While we basically trust the accuracy of information that Copilot provides us, we would not bet the farm on it. Information provided by Copilot might not be current, might suffer from misinterpretation, or could suffer from other issues—such as an acquired prejudice—inherent to large language model (LLM) iterations of AI. We like to operate from the assumption that we can rely on what we get, but the more important the information, the more likely that we will independently verify it before relying on it.

We use Copilot almost exclusively for personal purposes. We make very limited use of it professionally. We have many reasons for that, but one of the most salient relates to the fact that the U.S. House of Representatives banned Copilot from all House staff computers. Catherine Szpindor, the House’s chief administrative officer, explained:

The Microsoft Copilot application has been deemed by the Office of Cybersecurity to be a risk to users due to the threat of leaking House data to non-House approved cloud services.

As lawyers, we need to concern ourselves with client confidential data, which raises a similar concern. Even on a personal level, we have concerns about protecting our own information.

Tip 6. Be Discreet

Play it safe. Do not feed personal or client confidential information to Copilot. If you give it a fact scenario predicated on a client’s situation or position in a case, do not use real names. Change the names to protect the innocent—as well as the guilty and the simple bystander!