ChatGPT and Copilot take different approaches in Microsoft Word

TechRadar's Eric Hal Schwartz tested ChatGPT and Copilot side by side in Microsoft Word after OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Word through a plug-in on September 17. The add-in is available through Microsoft Marketplace and works with ChatGPT's Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, although normal usage limits apply.

ChatGPT for Word opens in a sidebar, and its conversations and memory remain separate from the regular ChatGPT app. In a test involving a reusable vacation-planning template, ChatGPT added practical sections for reservation deadlines, estimated travel times, priority activities, backup plans, and possible additions. Copilot produced a more conventional Word template covering transportation, accommodation, daily plans, activities, dining, and packing.

Schwartz found Copilot better at quickly creating a polished document that felt designed for Word, while ChatGPT considered more of the practical issues involved in planning a vacation. He ultimately preferred ChatGPT's more flexible version, though Copilot was easier to use immediately.

In an editing test, ChatGPT shortened a long AirBnB instruction section while preserving useful details. Copilot also handled document questions, summaries, references, and rewrites, with tighter Word integration. Copilot availability varies by Microsoft 365 subscription, Copilot license, and organizational settings, while some newer Edit with Copilot features are still rolling out to eligible users.