OpenAI says GPT 5.6 is the ‘preferred model’ for Microsoft Copilot 365 amid breakup chatter

OpenAI announced that its GPT 5.6 model is now the preferred AI model powering Microsoft's 365 Copilot productivity suite, including apps like Word and Excel. This statement aims to clarify recent reports suggesting Microsoft was shifting towards its own in-house AI models to reduce costs, reaffirming the ongoing partnership between the two companies. However, the exact implications of the "preferred model" designation remain unspecified, and it does not contradict the use of Microsoft's own AI.