SmartForms vs CoPilots: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each in Your AI Toolset

Justin J

May 14, 2025

🧠 SmartForms vs CoPilots: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each in Your AI Toolset

When building AI-powered tools with FormWise, one of the first decisions you’ll face is:

Should I use a SmartForm or a CoPilot?

While both are powered by GPT under the hood and can be embedded in your site or sold in a Login Mode dashboard, they behave very differently.

This guide will break down:

What SmartForms are
What CoPilots are
When to use each
Examples of both
How to add them to a Toolset
And how to decide which fits your use case

Let’s get into it.

🧾 What is a SmartForm?

Think of a SmartForm as a “fill-in-the-blank” AI tool.

You define specific fields for the end user to fill in — and when they click submit, those fields are plugged into a backend prompt you’ve crafted. The response is then generated instantly based on the input and shown to the user.

🧩 How it works:

You choose the fields (e.g., Business Name, Offer, Tone)
You write a single master prompt using those variables
The user fills in the blanks and submits
GPT processes your prompt + their data
The result is shown to the user

This format is great for:

Content generation
Templates
Fast single-use utilities

🧪 Example SmartForm Use Cases:

Instagram Caption Generator
- Fields: Industry, Product Name, Desired Tone
- Output: 3 captions tailored to that brand’s tone and offer
Lead Magnet Title Generator
- Fields: Niche, Target Audience, Desired Outcome
- Output: 10 compelling lead magnet headline ideas
Email Reply Writer
- Fields: Incoming email text, response goal, tone
- Output: A polished reply email ready to copy

🎯 SmartForms are best when:

You want a clear, structured input
You’re solving a single, focused problem
You want fast, consistent results

💬 What is a CoPilot?

A CoPilot is a chat-based AI assistant that engages the user in a back-and-forth conversation.

You define:

The CoPilot’s identity and tone
Its instructions (system prompt)
Optional pre-filled questions or guided paths

Instead of filling in fields and submitting, the user interacts with it conversationally — asking questions or being guided through a process.

🧠 How it works:

You define the CoPilot’s persona or role
Add a system prompt explaining how it should behave
Optionally add starter questions
The user chats with the AI in real-time

🧪 Example CoPilot Use Cases:

Sales Objection Handler CoPilot
- Prompt: “You are a friendly sales coach. Help users overcome objections in a confident tone.”
- Use: User types “Customer says it's too expensive” → CoPilot responds with a confident reply.
Study Buddy for ACT Prep
- Prompt: “You’re a helpful tutor. Ask one ACT reading question at a time, and explain answers gently.”
- Use: Student chats, receives questions, and gets feedback.
Email Copywriter Assistant
- Prompt: “Please craft an email newsletter copy with the users inputs”
- Use: User chats in real-time to refine messaging.

PS: Here's some free CoPilot prompt templates.‍

🎯 CoPilots are best when:

The user benefits from guidance or nuance
You want a more human-like interface
The tool needs multiple back-and-forths to reach an outcome

🧱 How Do You Add SmartForms and CoPilots to a Toolset?

A Toolset in FormWise is a white-labeled dashboard — you can group multiple SmartForms and CoPilots into one experience for your users.

Here’s how it works:

Go to your FormWise dashboard
Create a new Toolset
Add your tools (mix of SmartForms and CoPilots)
Customize branding and layout
(Optional) Turn on Login Mode and Stripe to monetize access

Once your Toolset is live, you can:

Share a link directly
Embed it on your website
Embed individual tools inside funnels (GHL, Kajabi, etc.)

Bonus: All tools inside a Toolset can access Brand Voice data and soon, Custom Fields, giving your user a more personalized experience across the board.