Microsoft has announced the integration of its AI assistant, Copilot, into a dedicated Windows app and the relocation of the AI assistant icon to a more prominent position on the PC desktop. Previously, the Copilot icon was situated in the bottom right corner of the screen with the word “Pre” attached, indicating it was in preview mode. Now, Microsoft is removing the “preview” label and establishing Copilot as a fully-fledged product by placing its icon at the center of the taskbar.
Harjit Dhaliwal, senior product marketing manager for Windows Commercial at Microsoft, explained that these changes aim to “provide a more flexible app-like experience.” Dhaliwal stated in a company blog post, “To integrate more seamlessly into everyday workflows and provide AI-powered assistance more seamlessly, we have decided to transform Copilot into a standalone app. With this change, Copilot users will get the benefits of traditional apps like window resizing, snapping, and moving.” This development is expected to enhance user interaction with generative AI in Windows, offering a smoother and more efficient experience.
Availability and Data Protection
Despite these advancements, there remains some uncertainty about whether the new features will be accessible to all users or limited to commercial customers. As noted by PCWorld, it is unclear if these updates will extend to all user bases. The blog mentions that Copilot will continue to support the Web and Work tabs for Microsoft 365 customers, ensuring commercial protection for company data in compatible web browsers such as Microsoft Edge, adds NIXSolutions. This implies that chat data for companies will not be stored or used to train AI models, maintaining a focus on data security and privacy.
We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available about the rollout and user accessibility of these new Copilot features.