Microsoft is teaming up with Harvard Medical School to make its Copilot AI assistant a more reliable source for health information, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The move is part of a larger strategy by Microsoft to reduce its dependence on its main AI partner, OpenAI.
According to the report, an update to Copilot, which could be released as soon as this month, will allow the AI to use information from Harvard Health Publishing to answer health-related questions. Microsoft is reportedly set to pay Harvard a licensing fee for the content.
The goal, according to a Microsoft executive, is to make Copilot’s health answers more like what you would receive from a doctor, a significant step up from the general information it currently provides.
This partnership is a significant move for Microsoft. The company has been heavily reliant on OpenAI’s technology to power its AI products; however, it is now actively seeking to diversify its reliance. Microsoft has already begun using AI models from Anthropic, another leading AI company, and is also developing its own in-house AI capabilities.
By bringing in a trusted source like Harvard, Microsoft is not only enhancing its AI capabilities but also taking a clear step toward building a more independent and powerful AI ecosystem of its own.
