Microsoft's Youth-Focused Push for Copilot Adoption
Microsoft has launched an ambitious influencer marketing campaign to increase consumer downloads of its Copilot AI chatbot, specifically targeting younger demographics to better compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. The software giant is positioning itself as a challenger brand in the competitive AI assistant space.
In an exclusive interview with Fortune, Yusuf Mehdi, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, revealed the company's strategy. "We're a challenger brand in this area, and we're kind of up and coming," Mehdi stated, acknowledging Microsoft's current position in the consumer AI market.
Influencer Partnerships Driving Engagement
Microsoft has partnered with several prominent social media creators to reach younger audiences. The most notable collaboration is with Alix Earle, a 24-year-old content creator from New Jersey who gained fame through her popular Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos. Earle boasts a combined following of 12.6 million across Instagram and TikTok.
The partnership has already shown significant results. In May, Earle created a video where she asked Copilot how to look younger after followers commented that she appeared 40. The AI assistant recommended focusing on "a good skincare routine." This single video achieved 15.4 million views on TikTok - nearly double her follower count - and she captioned it "Copilot is my mentor & therapist" with the hashtag #copilotpartner.
Mehdi highlighted another successful video where Earle demonstrated the new Copilot Groups feature. "We can see very much people say, 'Oh, I'm gonna go try that,' and we can see the usage it's driving," he explained. That particular post received 1.9 million views on Instagram and 7 million on TikTok.
Diverse Creator Network Expands Reach
Microsoft's influencer network extends beyond Earle. Twin sisters Brigette and Danielle Pheloung, both 28, have also joined the campaign. Known for their fashion and beauty content, they collectively have 3.4 million followers across social platforms.
Brigette expressed amazement at their involvement with AI technology, stating: "Who would have thought that a girl who was getting thousands of views on hair rollers is now promoting AI through Microsoft Copilot." To engage women aged 18 to 34, the sisters used Copilot to design '70s- and '80s-inspired outfits for New York Fashion Week, with the bot suggesting shoulder pads that prompted Danielle to stuff socks into her shirt to achieve the look.
Another collaborator, Brandon Edelman (known online as Bran Flakezz), brought his 1.7 million followers to the campaign. His Los Angeles-filmed videos feature light conversations with Copilot about dating, travel, and overcoming imposter syndrome. In one particularly engaging exchange, Edelman asked if he would still need to pay credit card bills if he died, to which Copilot replied, "Yes, debts don't disappear." Microsoft captioned the post, "With Copilot, there's no such thing as a cringe question."
Market Position and Analyst Perspectives
While Microsoft's Copilot brand is primarily associated with workplace tools for organizing data, summarizing meetings, and retrieving information, this campaign represents a significant shift in marketing direction. Mehdi emphasized that "the whole idea about Copilot is really about empowering you to be the best you."
However, analysts remain cautious about Microsoft's ability to catch up in the consumer space. Jason Wong of Gartner commented: "It'd be hard-pressed for them to surpass the consumer ChatGPT at this point." The numbers support this cautious outlook - Microsoft's Copilot currently has 150 million active users each month, significantly lagging behind OpenAI's claim of 800 million weekly active users for ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, which boasts 650 million monthly active users.
Microsoft maintains an advantage with corporate clients but faces substantial challenges in the consumer market, particularly among younger consumers who have largely adopted competing platforms. The influencer campaign represents Microsoft's most direct attempt to bridge this gap and establish Copilot as a mainstream AI assistant beyond professional environments.
The company has found that influencer campaigns are delivering better results than traditional media approaches, though Mehdi declined to provide specific metrics or payment details for the promotions. The initiative has already drawn well-known creators and generated significant viewership, indicating early success in raising awareness among younger demographics.
