Microsoft has officially unveiled Copilot, its new virtual assistant that pledges to be “Your everyday AI companion”.
The launch of Copilot comes as no surprise, with Microsoft announcing earlier this year that it was working with OpenAI (the team behind viral sensation and Turing Test-bothering bot ChatGPT) on a new virtual assistant.
Now, the covers have been taken off and Microsoft has officially announced some of the features people can expect when using Copilot.
Users are promised a “simple and seamless experience”, with Copilot working in the background to provide assistance based on the context and intelligence of users’ work data, the wider web, and what is being done on the device at any given time.
Copilot will take the form of its own app, or can be accessed instantly via a right click. It will first be available in the latest Windows 11 update – being rolled out currently – then later in the autumn across Edge, Bing and Microsoft 365.
One prominent feature to look out for in the early deployment is a more personalised search experience, as Copilot uses browser history to return more relevant content – not just for general Bing searches but also when shopping online. On the latter point, Microsoft claims its Microsoft Edge platform has already provided shoppers with $4 billion in savings, by using the latest technology to ensure they’re getting the best price.
Elsewhere, some 150 new features are headed to Windows 11, across the likes of Clipchamp, Paint and Photos – among them generative image creation, intelligent photo editing, and even the ability to search images by their content and not simply their alt text or title. Snipping Tool, meanwhile, will allow users to grab text straight from a snip, or easily redact confidential information.
Microsoft has also sought to allay any fears that users may have on these new developments, saying its latest features will be delivered with “privacy and security at the forefront”. It concluded by saying Copilot could help users create, connect, and get things done – adding: “We can’t wait to see what you can do with these experiences.”
