Microsoft Promotes Free Copilot Features in iPhone Apps Through Apple App Store Release Notes

Microsoft has adopted a clever approach to promote its AI tool, Copilot, via the changelogs of its applications in the iPhone App Store. Notably, apps like OneDrive now include a line stating “generated using Copilot” at the end of their release notes, a move that Apple does not explicitly mandate. This raises the possibility that Microsoft is subtly marketing Copilot in a context where users are encountering updates.

This strategy is not entirely new—Microsoft began appending “*These notes were generated using Copilot” to the end of app changelogs starting May 13, 2025. However, recent observations by Windows Latest highlight that this acknowledgment is not uniformly applied across all Microsoft applications on the App Store.

Interestingly, the OneDrive app for Mac does not mention Copilot in its changelog, even though the notes are detailed. The situation on the Android Play Store is ambiguous, as it does not display version histories, leaving open the question of whether this marketing tactic is exclusive to iOS apps or if it was unintentional oversight on Microsoft’s part.

Considering that iOS lacks a robust and feature-rich AI counterpart, Copilot must capture as much public attention as possible to compete effectively against established players like ChatGPT and Gemini.

Leveraging Copilot for Writing Release Notes

Microsoft’s commitment to utilizing AI for coding is well-documented, but it appears the company is also exploring Copilot’s capabilities for less complex tasks, such as crafting release notes for the OneDrive iOS app. Some updates in the App Store’s changelog contain the phrase “*These notes were generated using Copilot, ” which is somewhat amusing when one considers that an AI is describing fixes and features implemented by the same AI—at least to an extent, as suggested by Satya Nadella.

OneDrive iOS app changelog written using Copilot

This practice is particularly intriguing given that Apple’s App Store guidelines do not necessitate developers to disclose their methods for composing release notes, indicating that Microsoft’s inclusion of this detail is a deliberate choice.

Moreover, it was observed that not all updates feature the Copilot attribution. Preliminary checks reveal that minor bug fix updates are devoid of this mention, while more significant updates prominently include it. This suggests a strategic decision rather than a result of an automatic template.

These notes were generated using Copilot

This targeting aligns with Copilot’s current standing in the market. Unlike ChatGPT, which leads the generative AI landscape in user engagement, Copilot has not yet captured similar momentum. With Microsoft’s substantial investments in OpenAI, the company appears to be encouraging its teams to utilize Copilot in various internal functions, including the composition of release notes, potentially to gather usage metrics and improve the tool’s visibility.

Strategic Use of Changelogs for AI Promotion

Utilizing changelogs as a platform for Copilot’s promotion is a low-risk strategy. Users do not expect a high level of artistry or technical depth in these updates, which makes them a highly visible yet inconspicuous medium. By normalizing the mention of Copilot in this context, Microsoft plays a subtle but effective game in raising awareness without overwhelming its users.

While Apple has not yet introduced a first-party AI chatbot that challenges Copilot, ChatGPT, or Gemini, existing options like Siri do not measure up to the competition’s capabilities. As Apple’s AI offerings continue to roll out incrementally, iOS apps represent one of the few avenues for AI entities to gain visibility without strict editorial controls from Apple.

As the App Store changelogs are among the rare forms of user-facing content that Apple allows without intense oversight, this presents a unique opportunity for Microsoft. Should more users become interested in utilizing Copilot because of these updates, it would reflect a strategic win for the software giant.

Ultimately, this might mark one of the initial signs that AI-generated content is increasingly becoming the norm. Do you consider AI-generated changelogs as credible as those crafted by human hands?

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