Don't bother with Copilot on your Mac unless you say yes to both of these questions

2 days ago 4

MacOS does not lack AI apps and services. My go-to when using my MacBook Pro is a one-two combination of Ollama and Msty because the LLM is locally installed, so I do not have to worry that my queries are being used by a third party for any reason.

So, when I discovered that Microsoft had released a MacOS client for Copilot, I was hesitant to install it, but curiosity got the best of me, and I had to try it. I was confident Copilot would not be able to pull me from Ollama, but there is no harm in trying, right?

I have used Copilot occasionally, but not enough to draw any real conclusions. Because of that, I dove into the app with curiosity.

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'What's in today's news?'

One of the first things I do when testing a new AI app is ask it, "What's in the news today?" Because I tend to use locally installed LLMs, I am accustomed to that question not being answered -- because they do not have access to external sources.

When I asked Copilot for MacOS the question, I received what it assumed were the top five headlines "making waves." Each entry had a citation I could click to open the original article. It then informed me that I could dive deeper into a subject, even offering a suggestion.

I'm liking this so far. Why? I have always liked to stay on top of the news, but lately, the news seems antithetical to my emotional and mental well-being. Because of that, I have had to drastically cut back on my news consumption. Copilot makes it easy for me to view a smattering of news while allowing me to go down any particular rabbit hole I choose. That feature alone could keep me using Copilot.

Also: My favorite Mac note-taking app just got a major AI upgrade

I like news, but now I want news on my terms.

The actual AI of it all

Once I got beyond my usual first steps, I decided to pose a question that has been on my mind lately -- because of a book I am writing -- "What are the long-term effects of radiation to humans on the moon?" Copilot took nearly five minutes to answer the question.

Five minutes!

At first, I assumed my network was down, but that was not the case. It seems I just happened to ask a question that sent Copilot into a tizzy. To verify this, I hopped onto the Copilot Linux app and asked the same question. The Linux app answered immediately, so I closed and reopened the MacOS app, only to find the question had been answered originally -- it just did not display it until it was reopened.

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Interestingly enough, the answers on both apps were identical.

It was then that I found myself further disappointed with the app. At the end of the answer, I expected some form of follow-up suggestion but received nothing. Copilot was perfectly capable of doing this with the daily news but not with a query. I could click on source links, give the answer a thumbs up or down, and copy the response.

Ah, but Copilot does have another trick up its sleeve -- one that I really appreciate.

Think deeper

If you like to really dive into a topic, click the icon directly to the right of the search bar (I like to call it the Spirograph icon), which turns on the Think Deeper feature. Now, when you type your query and hit Enter, Copilot will do exactly as it says and dive a bit deeper into the subject.

Now we're onto something.

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At the end of the initial response, Copilot offers a few "think deeper" subjects to help you explore concepts related to the original query. That, my friends, makes Copilot an app worth installing.

The Copilot Think Deeper feature in action.

If you really like to dig into a subject while also exploring new avenues, the Think Deeper feature on Copilot is an outstanding addition.

Should you use Copilot on MacOS?

This boils down to two things:

Do you want to use an AI app to summarize the top news stories of the day?
Do you want your AI to suggest rabbit holes for you to dive into that are related to your query?

Also: Copilot now lets you control your Android phone from your PC - here's how

If you answered "yes" to either one of those questions, you should jump onto the App Store, search for Copilot, and install it immediately. If neither of those bullet points calls your name, do not bother.

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