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Microsoft: despite massive investment, almost nobody wants to pay for Copilot
For several months, Microsoft has been positioning Copilot as one of the strategic pillars of its future in artificial intelligence. Built into Windows 11 and the Microsoft 365 suite, and rolled out across many products, the AI assistant was supposed to become a powerful growth driver.
But behind the very optimistic official message, the economic reality looks far more mixed.
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Adoption described as "massive"
When the latest financial results were announced, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Copilot adoption was "massive", even referring to growth that had tripled since 2024.
A message clearly aimed at investors: AI is gradually taking its place at the heart of the Microsoft ecosystem.
Yet these statements raise questions.
Growth figures that temper the enthusiasm
Alongside this very positive message, several reports and internal estimates paint a much more nuanced picture.
In the last quarter of 2025, Copilot's real growth reportedly did not exceed 2%, a level well below expectations for a product meant to transform users' productivity in depth.
This gap between communication and actual performance is starting to raise questions about the product's trajectory.
The real issue: monetisation
The most worrying point for Microsoft remains conversion into paying users.
According to a report picked up by The Register and Windows Central, only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscribers actually pay for Copilot.
A few figures to understand the scale of the problem:
- Microsoft 365 has more than 450 million paying subscribers worldwide
- Only around 15 million are said to have subscribed to Copilot
- Most users therefore make do with the free version, which they consider sufficient for occasional use
Even taking into account promotions, bundles and enterprise offers, the conversion rate remains extremely low in view of the colossal investment made in infrastructure, research and AI partnerships.
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An AI that is everywhere… but not yet indispensable
This situation raises a central question: does Copilot deliver enough perceived value to justify an additional subscription?
Although the technology is impressive, many users feel that the features on offer do not stand out enough from free alternatives or tools already built in elsewhere.
The gradual integration of Copilot into Windows 11 clearly illustrates this strategic hesitation: Microsoft is testing different levels of visibility and use, without yet having found the formula that turns the tool into an everyday paid habit.
The market's verdict will be decisive
At this stage, Copilot is not a failure, but it is clear that it is not yet the growth driver Microsoft hoped for.
As is often the case, it is neither marketing promises nor technical demos that will make the difference, but:
- conversion figures,
- actual profitability,
- and the reaction of the financial markets.
Microsoft still has the time, the resources and a unique ecosystem to adjust its strategy. It remains to be seen whether Copilot will become an essential premium service… or remain one feature among many in the vast Microsoft galaxy.
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