Definition
The term was popularised by GitHub Copilot for code and Microsoft 365 Copilot for office work, and is now used broadly for assistants embedded in CRM, support, finance and design tools. A copilot suggests; the person decides.
Copilots are usually the first wave of AI adoption: easy to roll out and popular with staff. Their gains are mostly individual productivity, which is real but often hard to see in company results unless the surrounding workflow is redesigned as well.