Microsoft rebrand to Microsoft 365 Copilot confuses 400 million Office users

Viral posts claimed Microsoft renamed Office to "Microsoft 365 Copilot" and that 400 million users had become "AI users," while Microsoft responded that Word, Excel and PowerPoint remain unchanged and that only the Office hub was renamed earlier.

A wave of viral posts suggested Microsoft had renamed its Office suite to "Microsoft 365 Copilot," prompting widespread confusion online. Microsoft issued a statement saying the core Office apps remain unchanged and that only the Office hub app was renamed in previous updates. Several technology outlets reported and criticized the company's naming approach, which has contributed to the misunderstanding. Key facts: - A post attributed to Perplexity AI claimed Microsoft renamed Office to "Microsoft 365 Copilot" and said 400 million users became "AI users" overnight. - That viral post reportedly drew nearly 4 million views and circulated widely on social platforms. - Microsoft replied that Word, Excel and PowerPoint remain unchanged and that it had renamed only the Office "hub" app to Microsoft 365 in November 2022 and updated that hub to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app in January 2025. - Multiple outlets including Windows Latest, The Verge, ZDNet, The Register and PC Gamer covered the confusion and critiqued Microsoft's naming practices. Summary: The viral claim sparked broad public confusion about the status of Office and led Microsoft to clarify that its core Office apps are unchanged. Technology coverage highlights continued uncertainty about the company's naming choices. Undetermined at this time.