Microsoft is introducing Security Copilot, a chatbot aimed at assisting cybersecurity professionals in understanding critical issues and identifying solutions.
The AI-driven chatbot is built upon OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model and Microsoft’s security-specific model, which leverages daily activity data. By integrating AI into its software, Microsoft aims to expand its cybersecurity business, which generated over $20 billion in revenue in 2022.
Security Copilot is designed to respond to text prompts from users, offering insights into security incidents, vulnerabilities, and exploited accounts. Users can confirm the accuracy of the chatbot’s answers or indicate if they are off-target, enabling the service to learn and improve.
Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President of Security, Compliance, Identity, Management and Privacy at Microsoft, said the chatbot can process large numbers of alerts quickly and even reverse-engineer malicious code for analysts.
The AI chatbot could be particularly helpful for businesses struggling to hire experienced cybersecurity experts. Jakkal explained that Security Copilot’s built-in skills can augment the abilities of less experienced employees, allowing them to do more with less. Microsoft envisions the chatbot being used by numerous employees within a company, not just a select few executives.
As for pricing and availability, Microsoft has not yet disclosed the cost of Security Copilot when it becomes more widely accessible. The company is currently offering the chatbot to a small group of clients in a private preview, with plans for a broader release at a later date.
Security Copilot will be compatible with Microsoft security products such as Sentinel for threat tracking. Jakkal said that the company would consider adding support for third-party tools like Splunk based on feedback from early users in the coming months.
Frank Dickson, Group Vice President for Security and Trust at IDC, believes the announcement of Security Copilot could be one of the biggest security developments this year. Although competitors could develop their own chatbots, Microsoft’s early entry provides a head start in the market.