Microsoft's new AI tools hit Windows
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Microsoft on Thursday announced new Windows features aimed at making the still-fuzzy notion of an AI PC more concrete.
Why it matters: Microsoft and Apple are both touting their computers as built for AI, though for most people that still means using them to access a cloud-based service such as ChatGPT.
"People have talked about an AI PC, but it hasn't really come to life yet," Microsoft consumer chief marketing officer Yusuf Mehdi said in a briefing with reporters.
- Microsoft has been one of the loudest proponents of the notion, debuting last year a new class of computers, dubbed Copilot+, that contained a neural processor and a handful of AI features, including its oft-delayed Recall.
Zoom in: The new features include the ability to verbally summon Microsoft's assistant by saying "Hey Copilot."
- Another feature allows Windows users to give Copilot access to see their screen — either one application or the entire desktop. From there people can get help with an application or ask questions about the data shown on the screen.
- Microsoft is also expanding Copilot Actions beyond the Web. Available first in preview form, the agentic tool will now be able to sort through photos, extract data out of a document and take other actions from the desktop.
Between the lines: The new features are available for all Windows 11 PCs, not just the Copilot+ models that began shipping last year.
- Microsoft says all the new features will be opt-in, with users approving major actions before they happen
