An AI copilot is an AI assistant that works alongside you inside a task, suggesting code, text or answers while you stay in control and make the final call. The name borrows from aviation: the pilot flies, the copilot helps. GitHub Copilot popularized the term in 2021, and Microsoft later used it for most of its AI products.
Where does the term "AI copilot" come from?
GitHub announced GitHub Copilot as a technical preview in June 2021: an AI pair programmer that suggests code as you type in your editor. The metaphor stuck because it set expectations well. The tool proposes, you accept or reject, and you're still responsible for what ships. Microsoft then stretched the name across its products, renaming Bing Chat to Microsoft Copilot in November 2023 and attaching Copilot to Windows, Microsoft 365, Teams and more. Today "copilot" is close to a generic word for an assistant built into the place you work.
AI copilot vs chatbot vs AI agent
The three overlap, and vendors use them loosely. The useful difference is who acts.
| Where it lives | Who acts | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatbot | Its own window or site | You copy answers into your work | ChatGPT in a browser tab |
| Copilot | Inside or beside the tool you're using | It suggests, you decide and act | GitHub Copilot in VS Code, Copilot in Word |
| Agent | Runs tasks across tools | It takes actions for you, you review | An AI that files tickets or books meetings by itself |
A rule of thumb: if the AI can change something without you clicking "accept", it's behaving like an agent, whatever the product page calls it.
What are the main types of AI copilot?
- Coding copilots suggest and explain code in the editor: GitHub Copilot, plus the AI features in editors like Cursor.
- Office copilots draft, summarize and analyze inside documents, spreadsheets and email, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot or Gemini in Google Workspace.
- Meeting copilots answer questions about a call and write recaps, such as Copilot in Teams or Zoom's built-in AI. Most work from the meeting transcript.
- Sales copilots prepare account research, suggest talk tracks and write follow-ups; see our AI sales assistant comparison.
- Desktop copilots float over any app rather than living inside one. This is where AI overlays fit (see AI overlay).
What is an interview copilot?
The phrase is used two ways, and the difference matters. In the sense we'd recommend, an interview copilot is a preparation tool: it runs mock interviews, helps you build STAR stories and critiques your answers before the day. In the other sense, it's software that listens to a live interview and suggests answers while it's happening. Most employers treat that as misconduct, and answers read off a screen tend to sound like it. If you're preparing, our AI interview prep tools roundup covers practice tools, and the interview prep prompts work in any chat assistant.
How do you judge an AI copilot?
Four questions sort most of them quickly. What context does it see (one file, your whole drive, a live call)? How much control do you keep (suggestions only, or actions)? Where does your data go, and does your company approve that? And what does it cost per person once the trial ends? Business copilots are often priced per user per month on top of software you already pay for.
AuraCloak as a desktop copilot
AuraCloak is a desktop copilot for Windows that you bring your own model to. It sits on top of any app, opens with Ctrl + Alt + Space, and works with OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Azure OpenAI or a custom endpoint, and can use your GitHub Copilot subscription through GitHub sign-in. It only suggests; it never acts in other apps. The window is excluded from screen capture, so it stays out of your Zoom or Teams share, and it doesn't record or listen to calls.
A desktop copilot for Windows that works with your own AI model, including your GitHub Copilot subscription.
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What does copilot mean in AI?
In AI, a copilot is an assistant that works alongside you inside a task, offering suggestions you can accept, edit or ignore. You remain in charge, like a pilot with a copilot. The term became common after GitHub Copilot launched in 2021 and Microsoft adopted it for its AI products.
What is the difference between an AI copilot and an AI agent?
A copilot suggests and you act; an agent takes actions on your behalf, such as sending emails, editing files or booking meetings, and you review afterward. Many products mix both, so check whether the AI can change things without your explicit approval.
Is Microsoft Copilot the same as GitHub Copilot?
No. GitHub Copilot is a coding assistant for editors like Visual Studio Code. Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are assistants for Windows, the web and Office apps like Word, Excel and Teams. Both are Microsoft products and share the name, but they're licensed separately.
What is an interview copilot?
It usually means one of two things: an AI tool for interview preparation, such as mock interviews and answer feedback, or software that suggests answers during a live interview. Use the first kind. The second usually breaks employers' rules and tends to hurt how you come across.