Your ChatGPT Is In Your Copilot

I’ve been poking around the Duke version of Microsoft Copilot lately, and I’m starting to notice some interesting changes in the menus. It looks like we got an update around early March that brought in some new options—specifically something called GPT 5.4 Think Deeper. I’m just figuring this out as I go, but I thought it might be worth sharing how I’m looking at these tools.

Why the “Deep Thinking” Mode caught my eye

I’m thinking that this “Think Deeper” setting may be better suited for more complex computing and logic vs other GPT or Copilot. I’ve traditionally looked at Copilot as more of a fact-finding tool—great for surfacing a specific email or summarizing a meeting. But this 5.4 model seems to be built for a different kind of heavy lifting.

To me, it feels like it’s doing more than just “finding”; it’s processing. When I ask it to look back at my calendar or emails from months ago, it seems much more capable of connecting the dots and handling the “reasoning” behind a project.

Copilot vs. ChatGPT: How I’m Choosing My Tools Inside of Copilot

I’ve been thinking about why I jump between the different models right there in the sidebar, and it seems to me that it really comes down to what kind of “computing” I need:

• GPT 5.4 Think Deeper (The Investigator): I’m thinking this is the one to use for the more complex logic. If I need to look back at a whole year of projects and connect the dots, this model seems to take the extra time to reason through the history. It’s less about finding a quick fact and more about processing a timeline.

• Claude / Sonnet (The Stylist): Sometimes I’ll switch to the Claude options if I want a different “voice” or a more natural summary of a long thread. It’s interesting to have these different “brains” all connected to the same Duke data.

• The “Work IQ” Connection: The big thing for me is that all of these options inside Copilot have the keys to my professional history. They can see my calendar, my “Sent” folder, and my Teams chats because they are built into the Microsoft Graph.

Copilot vs. ChatGPT: How I’m Choosing Copilot vs. ChatGPT Web

I’m thinking the real difference here is the “plumbing.” Even if you’re using a secure, Duke-logged-in version of ChatGPT on the web, it doesn’t seem to have that direct line to your email or Teams chats.

• Copilot (The Assistant in the Room): This is my go-to when I need a tool that already knows what’s going on. It’s like an assistant who was in the meetings with you. Plus, I’m leaning into it because it stays within the Duke “fence,” which seems like a safer way to handle work info.

• ChatGPT Web (The Creative SECURE Sandbox): I still head over to the web app when I want to brainstorm something totally new or play with a specific writing style that isn’t anchored to my day job. It feels more like a brilliant consultant you have to “brief” every time you want to get something done—it’s incredibly capable, but it’s an “outsider” to my inbox.

Again, this is me just thinking through this. Please comment! 🙂