The unveiling of Windows Copilot at Microsoft Build 2023 marks a significant milestone in Microsoft's history, as it signifies the arrival of artificial intelligence in Windows 11 through a virtual assistant. This assistant will be able to offer suggestions to the user based on the content displayed on the screen. It will be available starting in June.
Everything we know at this point, based on the preliminary version shown to the media, may change later. However, it already gives us a glimpse into how this new assistant will work and all it can offer. And, in principle, it all sounds very interesting.
We are looking at a revolutionary new assistant designed to replace Cortana . In truth, more than a replacement, Copilot presents itself as a creation intended to surpass its predecessor in every way—something entirely new and different that will render Cortana completely obsolete.
Microsoft claims this is a major leap forward, a significant turning point. Panos Panay , Microsoft's director of Windows and Devices, asserts that Windows Copilot will empower "every user to become an advanced user, with an assistant that helps them take action, personalize their settings, and seamlessly connect through their favorite applications."
The tool was developed by Copilot Systems , which worked to achieve seamless integration within the operating system via a sidebar. It can be accessed simply by clicking on the Copilot icon, located in the center of the taskbar.
Copilot Sidebar
Once the user opens the Windows Copilot sidebar, it remains visible across all applications, programs, and windows . With its user-friendly interface, the user can customize settings and connect through their preferred applications.
The standard features that users are already accustomed to are still available. In fact, Windows Copilot improves upon them. For example, in addition to copying and pasting content, we can also use the assistant to rewrite, summarize, or explain that content.
In addition, taking the same example from the text, we can ask Copilot to summarize it or even explain it to us. And that's just a simple case. This new assistant can help us plan trips, find cheap flights, search for relevant information, answer questions thanks to the integration with ChatGPT, etc.
In this way, simply by chatting with the assistant, we will get completely personalized answers and we will be able to do things as varied as make changes to the operating system settings, play a music playlist or open an application.
The useful applications are endless ; we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg of everything that artificial intelligence can contribute in this and many other areas. And while it's true that AI raises many questions among people, in some cases, like this one, it offers a host of advantages that we should learn to take advantage of.
ChatGPT, Bing and more AI updates for Windows
During the same event where Copilot was unveiled, Microsoft and OpenAI announced their collaboration agreement. Their goal is to expand the ecosystem of artificial intelligence plugins.
This means developers will have the opportunity to create and submit add-ons that are functional on platforms like ChatGPT and Bing, as well as others such as Dynamics 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Windows Copilot. Microsoft also reports that this new AI-powered assistant will be available in the Edge browser.
For now, what's most appealing and interesting to Windows 11 users is that both Bing Chat and Copilot will be compatible with the new plugins . This will make integration with other applications much faster and more direct—much more so than before, certainly. Furthermore, all these plugins have been designed to offer users recommendations based on their own conversations.
In short, the launch of Windows Copilot represents a significant advancement in the capabilities of PC platforms. It also heralds a near future (closer than we think) in which AI will play an increasingly important role in optimizing and enriching the user experience.
So, everyone with Windows 11 installed on their computers should keep a close eye on the operating system updates to incorporate this fantastic AI-based assistant that promises so much. Copilot is rumored to be available starting June 11th, although no exact date has been confirmed. The future is knocking.