Why did MS close Cortana?

Copilot is the new replacement of Cortana and it is now part of Windows 11 and Office 365.

Now, with the introduction of Copilot, Microsoft is positioning it as an advanced AI assistant designed to work seamlessly within their Office applications and other productivity tools. Unlike Cortana, which was more of a standalone voice assistant, Copilot is integrated into the workflow, providing contextual help and automation.

Cortana, as a digital assistant, was launched in 2014 as a competitor to Siri and Google Assistant. Initially, Microsoft invested heavily in promoting Cortana, and it was integrated into Windows 10, Office, and other Microsoft products. However, Cortana never gained significant traction, and Microsoft eventually toned down its marketing efforts.

As for Copilot, it's a newer AI-driven feature integrated into Microsoft's Office applications (like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams). It leverages advanced AI models (including those from OpenAI) to assist with content creation, data analysis, and more. Microsoft is heavily investing in Copilot as part of its broader AI strategy, positioning it as a core productivity enhancement rather than a standalone consumer assistant.