Microsoft Copilot Brings AI to Windows 11, Works Across Multiple Apps and Your Phone

Harnessing the potential of AI in Windows 11, we are ushering in a transformative era of productivity for both customers and developers through the introduction of Windows Copilot and Dev Home.

During Microsoft’s AI and Surface event held on Thursday, the tech giant unveiled a new offering named Copilot, describing it as “your everyday AI companion.” Scheduled for release in the upcoming major Windows 11 update on September 26, Microsoft’s Vice President, Yusuf Mehdi, hailed it as the most substantial enhancement to the operating system to date.

Using Copilot, you can seamlessly instruct the AI to perform various tasks such as generating a book summary within a Word document or effortlessly removing the background from an image. A compelling demonstration showcased Copilot’s capabilities with a lengthy email, illustrating how when you select text within the email, Copilot conveniently appears, allowing you to pose questions related to the email’s content. Furthermore, Copilot can intelligently cross-reference this information with online sources, enabling you to inquire about nearby lunch spots based on the email’s context.

Copilot will be conveniently accessible on the Windows 11 desktop taskbar, requiring just a single click for instant access. With Copilot, you can perform a wide range of tasks regardless of whether you’re working with Word, PowerPoint, or Edge. A voice command can also be used to summon Copilot. Notably, Copilot can establish a connection with your smartphone, allowing you to, for instance, inquire about your upcoming flight by scanning your text messages and retrieving the relevant information.

Microsoft’s web browser, Edge, will seamlessly incorporate Copilot functionalities as well. Notably, Microsoft showcased specific features tailored for shopping purposes, enabling users to effortlessly discover the best deals and utilize images from their phone to locate similar products online, akin to the capabilities of Google Lens.

Enterprise customers can look forward to advanced AI capabilities in Microsoft’s Office products. Copilot will have the ability to access corporate data, aiding in tasks such as summarizing meetings or generating charts based on available data. Additionally, it can intelligently cross-reference information from online sources. What’s more, this data can seamlessly translate into other programs. As an example, a summary derived from an extensive work document can be effortlessly transferred to PowerPoint, where it automatically populates a presentation with images and presenter notes.

Outlook, when coupled with Copilot, offers the versatility to assist in drafting emails across a spectrum of formality levels, ranging from professional to casual. This innovative feature enables you to send work-related emails as poems through Outlook, demonstrating its versatility.

Microsoft has assured that the data utilized by Copilot for Enterprise will be kept secure and will not be used to train its AI models.

Also Read “Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay is leaving Microsoft“

Microsoft’s progression in AI is a result of substantial investments made in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, earlier this year. ChatGPT made its debut last year and gained rapid popularity, showcasing its ability to provide unique responses to a wide range of queries. Whether it was summarizing books or crafting a romantic-comedy skit, ChatGPT astounded users with its rapid generation of answers that read as though a human had composed them. However, it’s worth noting that AI chatbots like ChatGPT have faced criticism, with concerns about inaccuracies and the potential spread of misinformation. Furthermore, the broader adoption of AI technology has raised concerns about potential job displacement for humans.

Also Read “OpenAI has introduced Dall-E 3, the most recent iteration of its text-to-image tool“

By investing in OpenAI, Microsoft has empowered Bing with advanced AI capabilities, enabling the generation of AI-driven answers and image creation. This strategic move aligns with the broader industry trend, as both Apple and Google have been fervently pursuing AI advancements. They have integrated enhanced machine learning and generative features into their respective products, such as the iPhone, Pixel devices, and Search platforms, to stay at the forefront of AI innovation.

Windows 11 is set to receive innovative image-creation tools driven by AI. In a manner akin to Dall-E, users of Windows 11 will have the ability to generate images through text prompts. Furthermore, Windows 11 is introducing enhanced pen capabilities. Leveraging the capabilities of Copilot, users can seamlessly write intricate mathematical equations on-screen, with Copilot intelligently comprehending and converting them into text within a document.

Reference: Windows Copilot will start to become available in preview for Windows 11 in June, stay tuned and sign up here to get updates from the team.