Microsoft’s September 2023 event earlier this week not only launched the long-awaited Copilot AI for Windows 11, but also launched a series of new Surface devices, new software and new capabilities in what is the latest salvo is the technology and AI race for the hearts, minds and wallets of humans worldwide.
Microsoft has pulled out the big guns to get the attention of as many consumers and businesses as possible at its event in New York earlier this week, with the headline feature being the launch of Microsoft Copilot.
The company describes this as “a groundbreaking AI companion designed to revolutionise the way people interact with technology and enhance productivity”, with the solution to be “available in Windows 11, Microsoft 365, Edge and Bing for a seamless AI-powered experience across applications and devices.”
Given Microsoft also makes PCs with the Surface brand, there’s some new hardware there too, and obviously the software and hardware are designed to work smoothly and seamlessly, to”help you be more productive, spark your creativity, and to meet the everyday needs of people and businesses.”
Yusuf Mehdi, the Corporate VP & Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft said: “We are entering a new era of AI, one that is fundamentally changing how we relate to and benefit from technology. With the convergence of chat interfaces and large-language models, you can now ask for what you want in natural language, and the technology is smart enough to answer, create it or take action. At Microsoft, we think about this as having a copilot to help navigate any task.”
So, let’s start with the keynote itself, with plenty more information below!
So, what were the key announcements? What Microsoft had to say is below, and its blog post is here.
Microsoft Copilot – Microsoft AI capabilities have been unified into a single experience called Microsoft Copilot, your everyday AI companion.
Copilot will uniquely incorporate the context and intelligence of the web, your work data and what you are doing in the moment on your PC to provide better assistance – with your privacy and security at the forefront. The simple and seamless experience will be freely available in Windows 11, in Microsoft 365, and in our web browser with Edge and Bing, available as an app, or can reveal itself when you need it with a right click. Copilot is one AI experience that works across your whole life, and will begin to roll out in its early form in the next release of Windows 11 starting September 26.
Windows 11 Update – Over 150 new features will empower you to create faster, complete tasks with ease and lessen your cognitive load – making once complicated tasks simple.
Includes Copilot integration, new Outlook for Windows, new capabilities in Paint and Photos enhanced with AI, improved Clipchamp, Notepad, modernized File Explorer, and new natural voices in Narrator to enhance accessibility and productivity. These updates will make Windows the destination for the best AI experiences, and will roll out from September 26 with the latest update to Windows 11, version 22H2.
New features in Bing and Edge – Features include personalized answers generated based on the chat history, improved DALL.E 3 model from OpenAI in Bing Image Creator, and new Content Credentials which uses cryptographic methods to add an invisible digital watermark to all AI-generated images in Bing, including time and date it was originally created. You can use Bing Chat today with Microsoft Edge or at bing.com/chat. Features will begin to roll out soon.
Here’s the 2 minute version of the nearly hour long keynote, the article continues after the video, below!
Copilot in Microsoft Shopping – Bing and Edge can now provide more tailored recommendations and the best price based on your request, powered by AI. Soon, you’ll also be able to use a photo or saved image as the starting point for shopping.
Bing Chat Enterprise Updates – More than 160 million Microsoft 365 users already have access to Bing Chat Enterprise at no additional cost, and Bing Chat Enterprise is now available on Microsoft Edge mobile app. Multimodal visual search and Image Creator will also be added to boost creativity at work.
Microsoft 365 Copilot for Enterprise – Will be generally available for enterprise customers from November 1, 2023, along with Microsoft 365 Chat, a new AI assistant that will completely transform the way you work.
Microsoft 365 Copilot for Consumers – Designer will be integrated with Microsoft 365 Copilot for personal users, starting with Word. Designer helps you transform a text-heavy document with custom graphics, create stunning visuals, social media posts, invitations and more using cutting-edge AI.
New Surface Devices – Surface devices being launched with the latest AI innovations for people and businesses include:
The new Surface Laptop Studio 2 is the most powerful Surface we’ve ever built. Turbocharged with the latest Intel® Core processors and cutting-edge NVIDIA Studio tools for creators. Surface Laptop Studio brings together the versatility to create and the power to perform — a stunning 14.4″ PixelSense Flow touchscreen display and flexible design with three unique postures.
The new Surface Laptop Go 3 is the lightest and most portable Surface Laptop. With a touchscreen display and packed with premium features like an incredible typing experience and a Fingerprint Power Button, it comes in four stylish colors. With Intel® Core i5 performance, all-day battery life, and robust RAM and storage options, it’s the perfect everyday laptop and stage for the latest AI tools from Microsoft and the industry.
Surface Go 4 for Business is the most portable Surface 2-in-1. The new Surface Go will be available exclusively for organizations and build on the established momentum in scenarios like frontline work and education.
Surface Hub 3 is the premier collaboration device built for hybrid work, designed end-to-end by Microsoft. It will now run the Microsoft Teams Rooms experience on a brilliant 50″ or 85″ screen, and bring entirely new ways to co-create with AI-enhanced collaboration tools.
3D printable Adaptive Pen Grips for Surface Pen have been added to our lineup of adaptive accessories, enabling more people to engage in digital inking and creation than before.
Microsoft describes itself as being “the place where powerful, useful AI experiences come together – simply, securely and responsibly – into the products you use most. From Windows 11 as the destination for the best AI experiences to empower people using it at work, school and home; to Microsoft 365, the most trusted productivity suite on the planet; to Bing and Edge, the most innovative search engine and browser available.
“All of it comes together on Windows 11 PCs like Surface, and with Copilot empowering you to get things done, helping you create and stay connected to people you care about or the world around you.
“Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.”
Here’s Microsoft’s Copilot video:
