On Tuesday, Microsoft announced unlimited access to two Copilot features, Voice and Think Deeper, for free tier users, previously limited to Pro users. This change allows all users to utilize these AI tools without a rate limit. The Voice feature, available on Copilot mobile apps, offers conversational interaction with human-like speech. Think Deeper utilizes OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model, enabling deeper analyses and alternative solutions for complex queries. Microsoft’s Copilot, launched two years ago, integrates AI into Windows and Microsoft 365, continually evolving its capabilities. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode for free users still has a rate limit.
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced the introduction of unlimited access to two new Copilot features for the free tier. These features, known as Voice and Think Deeper, were recently made available to all Copilot users. Previously, those on the free tier could only access them with a rate limit. However, the tech giant from Redmond has now lifted this limitation, allowing all users to utilize both tools without restrictions. It’s worth mentioning that the Think Deeper feature of the AI chatbot is powered by OpenAI’s o1 model, which focuses on reasoning.
Unlimited Access to Copilot’s Voice and Think Deeper for Free Users
In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed the removal of the usage cap. The Copilot was introduced two years ago, and since then, the company has been enhancing the AI-driven chatbot with new features. Additionally, it has been incorporated into Windows operating systems and Microsoft 365 applications, and has also been added to GitHub.
Until now, unlimited access to the Voice and Think Deeper features was exclusive to Copilot Pro users. With this latest development, all users can now leverage these tools freely. Currently, the Voice mode is only available within the Copilot mobile applications, while Think Deeper can be accessed via the web client.
The Copilot Voice mode is comparable to OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode, although the latter still applies rate limits for free tier users—approximately a few minutes per month. On Wednesday, OpenAI made an announcement in a post on X (formerly Twitter) stating that the Advanced Voice Mode for free users will now be driven by GPT-4o mini instead of GPT-4o. They mentioned that this would provide “free users a chance to preview it daily across platforms.” However, OpenAI did not specify the new rate limits, and it’s unlikely they will be unlimited.
Copilot’s Voice mode is capable of engaging users in a conversational manner with human-like speech patterns. Its features include changing tone, singing songs, and altering pitch and inflections. Microsoft indicated that it can be useful for practicing new languages, conducting mock interviews, or receiving hands-free cooking advice.
The Think Deeper mode utilizes a test-time compute method and reasoning model, taking more time on queries to refine responses, explore alternative solutions, and verify outputs. Microsoft has stated that this feature is powered by OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model and is beneficial for users seeking to comprehend complex topics or requiring a deeper analysis of technical reports.