Microsoft research shows chatbots seeping into everyday life

Microsoft analyzed 37.5 million de-identified Copilot conversations from January to September 2025, excluding commercial and educational accounts. The findings reveal distinct usage patterns based on device, time, and day.

Rather than focusing only on what users were doing with Copilot, Microsoft also looked at how and when they did it. The findings give an insight into how AI and assistants like Copilot are seeping into everyday life, according to Microsoft.

Mobile users tended to ask Copilot health questions throughout the day, while desktop users were all business during working hours. Programming queries spiked on weekdays while chats about gaming rose over the weekend. Philosophical questions tended to increase at night.

Researchers said: "These patterns paint a picture of rapid and deep social integration. Users have tacitly agreed to weave AI into the fabric of their daily existence, turning to it for code reviews at 10 am and existential clarity at 2 am."

The idea of a user turning to Copilot, or any chatbot, for "existential clarity" is vaguely disturbing, although considering recent reports documenting the rise in the technology's use (alongside potential risks to mental health), it's not altogether surprising.

A chatbot might also not be the right place to go for advice on health matters, though it is not a million miles from a consultation with Dr Google, just with a more conversational face.

Another finding is the increase in topics not directly related to technical matters. Productivity-focused conversations dominated in January, but by September, other areas, including "society, culture, and history," had increased prevalence.

"This likely reflects a dual dynamic," noted the researchers. "The broadening of habits among existing users, and the democratization of the user base as mainstream adopters - who may have less technical priorities than the developer-heavy cohort of early January - joined the platform."

Copilot remains some way behind the leaders in terms of AI chatbot market share. The most recent Statcounter figures show that ChatGPT accounted for more than 80 percent of the market, while Copilot trailed at just over 3 percent.

However, the finding that the chatbot is slipping into everyday life indicates a broader trend: AI assistants are moving inexorably from research tools to companions for the wider population. ®