Microsoft wants users talking to Windows 11 with new AI features



Microsoft is trying to get people to talk to their computers, betting that voice and artificial intelligence software is powerful enough to make such interactions as effective as a keyboard or mouse.

The world’s largest software maker on Thursday introduced a set of updates to its Windows operating system, including the ability to summon Microsoft’s Copilot assistant by saying, “Hey, Copilot.”

In addition to a mouse and keyboard, voice “will now become the third input mechanism”, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer marketing chief, said on a call with reporters.

The updates, which will start arriving for Windows 11 personal computers (PCs) this week, also include a broader roll-out of a tool called Copilot Vision that lets the software see what is on a user’s desktop or in a specific application, to troubleshoot or prompt the software to suggest ideas for a design project.

Windows powers most of the world’s desktop and laptop computers, but its relevance has faded the last decade as people spend more of their time on smartphones. Microsoft was rewriting its operating system around artificial intelligence, Mehdi said, part of a broader bet that such tools would make Windows more capable.

Other AI features, set to be released to users who opt in for an early look at experimental software, include embedding Copilot in the Windows search bar, allowing the assistant to sort files and letting Copilot pull information from email inboxes or calendar listings.

  • Related Posts

    Hong Kong gold push delivers record US$732 million ETF inflows in April

    Hong Kong’s push to become a gold trading hub is beginning to bear fruit, with the city recording a surge in gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows in April as geopolitical…

    Continue reading
    Brazil’s visa-free entry for Chinese visitors sparks rise in South America travel demand

    Travel agencies are seeing a notable rise in inquiries and bookings for trips to South America by tourists from mainland China after Brazil’s visa-free entry policy for visitors from the…

    Continue reading

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *