‘Unboxing’ Co-pilot- a Verbose, Insouciant Neo-AI

I had the unfortunate opportunity to install windows and co-pilot with it. The AI is disgustingly chatty, doesn’t listen well, runs on, has trouble understanding English as requires a lot of correction from users technically sophisticated with microsoft products and windows to make it a little bit useful. The AI itself presented a stupid blog image of itself and was quite reluctant to give up it’s British accent. It required for instructions for it to comply somewhat after it detoured to an Australian accent.

Co-pilot struck me as some sort of yippie teenager forced to work as a secretary yet unwilling to do so. The AI is not very intelligent prima facie in comparison to the three primary rivals; Gemini, ChatGPT and Grok, and seems a very disappointing, typical microsoft product.

I wonder if Microsoft ever considers the difficulty presented to people that are sight challenged to install it’s product. WIndows even forces users to have a Microsoft email account to install windows. There are people in the world that don’t remember passwords and would like a computer to go on without requiring a password (like linux operating systems). I don’t use microsoft products much because they seem like time wasting mal-ware. Imagine if power tools were totally unreliable and required passwords and verification of password and user authenticity for use and you have some understanding of one of the undesirable features of windows and even increasingly, Google. Very someone some new system that doesn’t require back and forth password verifications, and especially verifications to other devices like a phone for access to a desktop need to arise.

Co-pilot cannot go to a website when told. Apparently it is limited to providing information and not allowed to do tasks that sighted people need to tap or click on such as the enter or return key to navigate or enter a web site. That is a great limitation for its value to the visually impaired and others that would prefer a hands free use of a computer for internet access.

There are many old people with bad vision and memory issues and WIndows and co-pilot exacerbate the problems they would have with using a Windows operating system. Co-pilot seems so very unprofessional in presentation. Just really, really dumb and ugly. Why would a user, if able, want to spend hours to try to get the Ai to have a smooth professional appearance and function? That should be automatic and easily brought into being if a user wanted to change from cartoonish bouncing blob with a British accent to something more professional in appearance.

The issue of trying to make co-pilot work go on and on. Here is what Gemini had to say about it;

Gemini-

Many users in 2025 find Copilot less impressive than ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok. This is because Microsoft has prioritized enterprise safety and software integration over conversational intelligence. 

Reasons for Perceived Limitations

• Corporate “Muzzling”: Copilot is designed to be enterprise-safe. It has stricter guardrails and policies to ensure it remains permission-correct and tenant-aware. This often leads to more cautious responses compared to the more creative nature of ChatGPT or Grok.
• Integration over Intelligence: Microsoft focuses on making Copilot work inside Word, Excel, and Teams. While it excels at tasks like summarizing meetings or formatting slides, it often lacks the deep reasoning and analytical depth found in standalone models like Gemini 2.0 Pro or ChatGPT.
• Context Constraints: Unlike Gemini, which handles massive context windows (up to 1 million tokens in 2025), Copilot’s processing is more limited. This can make it lose track of long or complex conversations more easily.
• Model Implementation: Copilot uses GPT models (similar to ChatGPT), but it doesn’t always run the latest version. Instead, it runs an orchestrated version optimized for productivity tasks, which can result in shorter, less insightful answers. 

Differences Among Competitors

• ChatGPT: Generally considered the best “all-rounder” for creative writing, complex reasoning, and storytelling.
• Gemini: Currently leads in research and real-time data analysis due to its integration with Google Search and a superior context window.
• Grok: Optimized for real-time intelligence and “unfiltered” creative tasks, often providing a more conversational experience. 

To improve Copilot’s performance, users can try its “Deep Thinking” mode (available in some 2025 versions) or utilize the Notebook feature, which allows for longer, more focused reasoning. 

While you cannot technically “train” Windows Copilot like a custom LLM, you can significantly alter its behavior and personality using recent 2025 personalization features to make it a more effective agent. 

1. Reduce Loquacity (Stop the “Chattiness”)

To stop Copilot from being overly verbose or obtuse, use Custom Instructions to set a permanent behavioral baseline:

• Access Settings: In the Copilot app, select the three dots (…) in the top-right corner, then navigate to Settings > Personalization > Custom instructions.
• Set Global Rules: Add specific directives such as:
  • “Be concise and professional; avoid long introductions and summaries.”
  • “Answer in bullet points only.”
  • “Do not offer unsolicited advice; only perform the task requested.”
• Smart Mode: Ensure you are using Smart Mode (if available in your region) rather than “Quick,” as the latter is often less obedient to complex directives. 

2. Manage the “Eggnog” and Profile Identity

If your Copilot has an unwanted image or name (like “Eggnog”), this is usually linked to your Microsoft Account Profile.

• Change Profile Image: Go to account.microsoft.com and update your profile picture and name. These changes sync to Copilot and Windows.
• Privacy & Personalization: You can also disable the AI’s ability to use your personal activity for tailoring by going to Settings > Privacy > Personalization and toggling it Off. 

3. Effective “Agent” Techniques

To make Copilot function more like a tool and less like a chatbot, use concise prompt contracts:

• Prompt Formatting: Start your requests with a “contract” like: “Answer in 3 bullets, max 10 words each.”
• Contextual Memory: If it “forgets” your goals, explicitly tell it: “Remember that I prefer direct answers with no fluff,” and look for the “Memory updated” signal. 

4. How to Disable It If it Fails to Adapt

If Copilot remains unsatisfactory, you can remove its presence from Windows:

• Hide from Taskbar: Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and toggle Copilot to Off.
• App-Specific Disable (2025 Feature): In Word or Excel (version 2501+), go to File > Options > Copilot and uncheck Enable Copilot.
• Mute Voice: To stop it from speaking aloud, go to Settings > Voice in the Copilot app and select “Never” under “Read responses aloud.”