A second pilot in an aircraft who assists the main pilot, or in modern usage, an AI assistant that helps with tasks and decision-making.
From the prefix 'co-' meaning together or joint, combined with 'pilot' from French 'pilote' and ultimately from Greek 'pedon' meaning rudder. The term entered aviation terminology in the early 20th century as aircraft became more complex and required multiple crew members.
The term 'copilot' has undergone a fascinating semantic shift—originally referring to another human in the cockpit sharing responsibility, it's now increasingly used for AI assistants, suggesting we're beginning to think of artificial intelligence as capable of partnership and collaboration, not just tool use.
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