Just like Microsoft put a Windows key on keyboards nearly 30 years ago, now a new key to bring up Microsoft’s CoPilot AI app on screen is coming to Windows PCs and laptops too, cementing AI’s place as a key to success!
Over at the official Windows Blog, Microsoft’s EVP and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, Yusuf Mehdi, announced what he calls “the next significant step forward” by introducing “a new Copilot key to Windows 11 PCs.”
We’re told that in this new year, Microsoft will be “ushering in a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system, to the silicon, to the hardware. This will not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it, making 2024 the year of the AI PC.”
Mehdi continues, explaining “The platform shift driven by AI innovation continues to grow rapidly and powerfully, fundamentally changing the way we use technology across work and life. At Microsoft, we are committed to empowering people and organisations to adapt and thrive in this new age of AI.”
“Over the last year, we have been at the forefront of this shift, innovating and improving our product experiences with Copilot, your everyday AI companion, at the centre.
“From reinventing the way people search with Copilot in Bing, and unlocking productivity with Copilot for Microsoft 365, to reimagining how people get things done on the PC with Copilot in Windows, we’ve listened to feedback and doubled down to create an experience that helps people every day.
“We’re also seeing incredible momentum from our silicon partners AMD, Intel and Qualcomm, all of whom have introduced their latest silicon innovations to the world that unlock new AI experiences on the Windows PC. Together, we’re putting new system architectures in place to power new Windows AI experiences bringing together the GPU, CPU, NPU and the cloud.
“We are energised by the stories that have been shared on how Copilot has inspired and empowered people across the last year – and we know our work is never done in our relentless pursuit to continue to innovate on behalf of our customers.
“The introduction of the Copilot key marks the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades. We believe it will empower people to participate in the AI transformation more easily.
“The Copilot key joins the Windows key as a core part of the PC keyboard and when pressed, the new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day*. Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard that enabled people all over the world to interact with Windows. We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC.
“Over the coming days leading up to and at CES, you will start to see the Copilot key on many of the new Windows 11 PCs from our ecosystem partners, with availability beginning later this month through Spring, including on upcoming Surface devices.
“We are excited to take the next step on our journey. There’s never been a better time to get started with Copilot today, whether it’s turning your ideas into songs, creating beautiful images and polished drafts to adjusting your PC settings, Copilot is your everyday AI companion for work and life. To learn more visit this link.
“As we embark on this new year, we are filled with optimism and excitement. We will continue to build Windows to be the destination for the best AI experiences. This will require an operating system that blurs the lines between local and cloud processing. The year ahead promises to be nothing short of extraordinary!”
Microsoft notes the timing of Copilot feature delivery and availability will vary by market and device, that it requires a free Microsoft account to log in, and that when Copilot for Windows is not available or enabled on the device, pressing the Copilot key will launch Windows Search.
