Microsoft Build 2023 has been more eventful than the average year thanks to the artificial intelligence boom pushing every tech company to go big. And it’s no secret that Microsoft’s close work with OpenAI has given them something of an edge in the race over the past few months, leading up to Tuesday’s Microsoft Build news in which the Redmond-based tech giant debuted Windows Copilot, a tool that will inject AI efficiency directly into Windows 11.
Copilot will exist within the Windows sidebar, wherein you can ask it questions just like how you would the AI-powered Bing Chat. However, it’s a lot more than a stunt double for an existing tool. It will also help you handle Windows itself. For example, say you want to change your desktop background or turn on Windows’ night light. Instead of futzing with Windows’ settings yourself, you can tell Copilot to do the work for you.
“Once open, the Windows Copilot side bar stays consistent across your apps, programs and windows, always available to act as your personal assistant,” Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay said in a blog post. “It makes every user a power user, helping you take action, customize your settings and seamlessly connect across your favorite apps.”
The number of applications Copilot may have is nearly infinite if it’s truly as capable as Microsoft’s unveiling of it implies the tech to be. Imagine never having to tinker with any Windows settings ever again, all because Copilot’s equipped to explore the operating system’s depths and adjust settings on your behalf.
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Right now, Copilot is a text-based tool. But in an Engadget interview, Panay outlined a greater vision for the tech, introducing the possibility that it could evolve into a voice assistant sporting technical capabilities that would wipe the floor with all voice assistants that came before (including Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s very own Cortana).
Copilot will be available in preview capacity in June.
In related news, Bing is now the default search tool for ChatGPT. When you use ChatGPT Plus, your searches will feature citations provided by Bing. While this isn’t likely to greatly impact Google’s continued, sustained dominance in the search space, it’s certainly a feather in Bing’s proverbial cap.
