TLDRs;

Microsoft taps Gen Z influencers to promote Copilot AI as it battles ChatGPT and Gemini for user dominance.
Influencers showcase everyday Copilot use, but Microsoft hasn’t revealed engagement data or conversion figures.
Experts warn that Copilot’s user count mixes enterprise and consumer data, skewing true adoption levels.
Analysts see potential brand lift, but question whether influencer campaigns can rival ChatGPT’s cultural dominance.

Microsoft is taking a page from TikTok’s playbook. The tech giant has partnered with U.S. influencers, including beauty creator Alix Earle and twin content duo The Pheloung brothers, to promote its Copilot AI assistant across social media platforms.

The campaign aims to make Copilot, a tool traditionally tied to office software, feel relevant to younger, everyday users.

In a series of short-form videos, influencers demonstrate how Copilot helps with daily tasks, from skincare routine planning and study hacks to social content drafting. Earle’s skincare-themed Copilot video alone drew millions of views, underscoring the reach Microsoft hopes to capture among Gen Z and millennial audiences.

While Microsoft declined to share the financial details of the influencer deals, the company confirmed that the push is part of a broader consumer-awareness campaign.

Copilot Trails ChatGPT and Gemini in Reach

Despite the influencer buzz, Microsoft’s Copilot still lags behind leading AI assistants. The company reports 150 million monthly active users (MAUs), compared to OpenAI’s ChatGPT with 800 million weekly users and Google’s Gemini with 650 million MAUs.

However, Microsoft’s numbers mix enterprise and consumer segments, counting office users on Microsoft 365 Copilot, developers using GitHub Copilot, and consumers on Windows, Edge, and Bing. In contrast, ChatGPT’s figures reflect primarily consumer engagement, making direct comparisons misleading.

Industry analysts note that while Microsoft’s corporate adoption remains strong, 90% of Fortune 500 firms use M365 Copilot, including large-scale deployments at PwC, consumer traction remains less defined.

Experts Question the Metric Mix

Experts have cautioned that Microsoft’s 150M user claim may overstate Copilot’s mass-market success.

“It’s an apples-to-oranges comparison,” said one analyst. “Copilot’s enterprise base is solid, but it doesn’t mean Gen Z users are adopting it on personal devices.”

Indeed, Microsoft’s primary growth driver has been its enterprise software ecosystem, with Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue up 17% in Q1 FY26. ChatGPT, on the other hand, leads with consumers through direct web and mobile app interactions, and Google continues integrating Gemini into everyday search and productivity tools.

This dynamic highlights the challenge for Microsoft: converting workplace familiarity into personal habit.

Ad Strategy Plays to Creator Economics

Microsoft’s influencer push isn’t just about visibility, it’s also an experiment in creator-led marketing economics. TikTok’s average conversion rate hovers around 0.46%, and its CPM (cost per thousand impressions) ranges between $3 and $15, roughly 30% cheaper than Facebook.

Microsoft $MSFT is now paying lifestyle influencers like Alix Earle to promote Copilot to younger users, as it tries to catch up to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

Note: Copilot has about 150M monthly active users, compared to ~800M weekly for ChatGPT. pic.twitter.com/8FsMEtfDsS

— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) November 10, 2025

That cost efficiency makes TikTok creators a valuable testing ground for Copilot’s consumer outreach. But without shared conversion metrics or install data, it’s unclear whether the buzz translates into meaningful adoption.

Analysts suggest using ad-tech attribution platforms to measure how influencer campaigns perform compared to search and social ads. For reference, utility app ads on TikTok average $0.20–$2.00 per click, giving Microsoft a relatively low-cost opportunity to test user acquisition at scale.

For now, experts believe the influencer initiative may strengthen Copilot’s brand awareness but doubt it will close the performance gap with ChatGPT or Gemini anytime soon.

 

The post Microsoft Enlists Influencers to Boost Copilot’s Popularity Among Gen Z appeared first on CoinCentral.

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Filed under: News - @ November 11, 2025 6:26 am