Lately, I've realized that I'll probably be chatting more with AIs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Apple's chatbots, etc., than with humans. This is inevitable as these AI products become more personal and can do more on your device than just answer complex questions.
I envision that experience as a system-wide AI chat where you can interact with your personal AI chatbot in a dedicated app. You use voice and text to ask questions within apps like ChatGPT, or you tell the AI to perform tasks on your computer. AI will be everywhere: on your phone, laptop, tablet, wearable gadgets, etc.
Before we get there, we'll be chatting with AIs in instant messaging apps. When the reality of such a feature became clear, I called it unnecessary. But now I realize that this is actually a good idea, as long as it works well.
Microsoft is the latest company to bring chatbots to its text messaging app. You can enable Copilot within Telegram right now. It's super easy. Once enabled, you can chat with Microsoft's ChatGPT-based AI from within the chat app, but there are a few caveats.
How to Use Copilot on Telegram
First of all, you need to install Telegram, a chat app similar to WhatsApp and other alternatives that allows you to talk to iPhone and Android users.
Next, you need to load a specific link on your iPhone, Android device, Mac, or Windows device that will open Copilot in Telegram.
If you already have the Telegram app installed on your device or are signed in to Telegram Web in your browser, click this link to get started with Copilot. Download the Telegram app and sign in, or sign in to your Telegram Web account, then click this link to get started with Copilot.
Another option is to search for Copilot within Telegram. Just search for @CopilotOfficialBot in the search bar and the chatbot will launch.
After that, you have to agree to the terms of service and privacy policy, and verify your phone number. We don't necessarily like that last part, but the chatbot says it doesn't store your phone number because it's a one-time verification. After all, ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI products do similar checks.
What can Copilot do for Telegram?
Copilot is a beta chatbot, so you can use it for free on Telegram. Once you start a chat with the AI, you can ask it a variety of questions. Microsoft has provided some examples of how Copilot can help you on Telegram:
The chatbot can provide information about games, movies, music, and sports. It can also offer dating advice, help with cooking and travel planning, fitness tips, and more. You can find these suggestions on Microsoft's Copilot page on Telegram.
However, Copilot for Telegram is more limited than the Copilot app: it only supports text-based interactions with the chatbot.
It's also important to remember that Microsoft is only introducing Copilot as a dedicated chat in Telegram — you can't include Copilot in an existing chat with a real human being.
Privacy and illusions
Then there's the privacy aspect: Microsoft has a general privacy statement page that also governs interactions with Copilot on Telegram.
As a potential user, I’m not sure what data Copilot collects and how my interactions with the chatbot are used to train Copilot and ChatGPT.
I've written many times that privacy is the most important aspect of using AI in any device or program. That's why I'm wary of giving too much personal information to Copilot on Telegram. This isn't about Microsoft. I'd be equally uneasy trusting Gemini on Google Messages, or Meta AI on Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Facebook.
However, having some sort of AI available in your chat app can be useful when you need information quickly and don't want to leave the chat app.
Speaking of information, let's not forget that AI still hallucinates. Just look at the nightmare of Google Search AI overview. Copilot also hallucinates. Microsoft makes this clear in their FAQ section:
Copilot aims to base all answers on reliable sources, but AI can make mistakes, and third-party content on the internet is not always accurate or trustworthy. Copilot may misrepresent information it finds, and you may see answers that sound convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate. Use your own judgment and double-check the facts before making any decisions or taking any action based on Copilot's answers.
That’s all you need to know before using Copilot on Telegram, or any other AI chatbot in any other instant messaging application.
