Microsoft bets on social stars like Alix to counter ChatGPT

MICROSOFT CORPORATION, EAGER to boost downloads of its Copilot chatbot,has recruited some of the most popularinflu-encers in America to push a message to young consumers that might be summed up as: Our AI assistant is as cool as ChatGPT.

- EMILY FORGASH

Microsoft could use the help. The company recently said its family of Copilot assistants attracts 150 millionactive users each month. But OpenAl’s Chat-GPT claims 800 million weekly active users,and Google’s Gemini boasts 650 million a month.

Microsoft has an edge with corporate customers, thanks toa longhistory of selling them software and cloud services. But it has struggled to crack the con-sumermarket — especially people under 30.