Microsoft makes delayed AI Recall feature available
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Microsoft's Recall feature is finally ready for broad use across its AI-enabled PC line after months of delays and significant security changes, the company announced Friday.
Why it matters: First shown last May, Recall — which promises to help users find anything they ever saw anywhere on their computer by taking frequent snapshots of the screen — was intended to be the signature feature of the first generation of Copilot+ PCs that hit stores last year.
Driving the news: Microsoft said Friday that Recall is now available as part of a free, downloadable update for all Copilot+ PCs, whether they use processors from Intel, AMD or Qualcomm.
- In addition to Recall, the update includes AI-powered improvements to Windows Search and a feature called "click to do" that allows people to summarize or refine text with a single click, among other actions.
Catch up quick: Recall, which works by feeding its screenshots of everything a user sees into AI models, was quickly criticized by security experts who warned the approach presented safety and privacy risks — even though the AI is designed to only run locally on the user's computer.
- Microsoft made a number of tweaks, including requiring biometric authentication and encrypting the data.
- Recall is now opt-in, and users can choose which apps use the feature and which do not.
- The changes took time, though, and the resulting delay forced Microsoft to spend last year focusing on the performance and battery life of Copilot+ PCs instead of their AI wizardry.
The big picture: Microsoft and Apple have been promoting the AI features of their latest devices, but both companies have struggled to deliver on their visions.
- For many users, the most significant AI feature remains "using ChatGPT" or some other cloud-based AI service.
What they're saying: Microsoft acknowledges the delay may have cost it some momentum, but the company also says its work improving Recall will help fuel other AI features.
- Over the same time, the company maintains, the capability of models running locally on a computer has increased significantly.
- "PCs are going to be materially different as we head forward," Microsoft corporate VP of Windows and Devices, Pavan Davuluri told Axios.
