Top line
Microsoft is adding a new key to the keyboards of Windows PCs and laptops that will use an AI assistant, the tech giant announced Thursday, marking the first major design change in decades and underscoring the company’s commitment in favor of artificial intelligence as businesses scramble to adopt and adapt. to the rapid evolution of technology.
Yusuf Mehdi announced the Windows Copilot button in a blog.
Highlights
Microsoft will add a dedicated button for its Copilot AI assistant on Windows 11 PCs, Executive Vice President and Chief Consumer Marketing Officer Yusuf Mehdi said in a statement. blog post.
Pressing the button will summon Microsoft’s Copilot, an AI-powered chatbot that can help users search, write text, create images and even turn their ideas into songs.
The new button will be to the right of the spacebar and will replace either the right control key (CTRL) or a menu key, depending on the keyboard layout.
If Copilot is unavailable or disabled on a device, the button will launch Windows Search, Microsoft said.
Mehdi said the update “marks the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in almost three decades,” adding that it will “empower people” to participate in the AI revolution.
To monitor
Mehdi said the new button will be seen on many new Windows 11 PCs unveiled at the upcoming CES tech show in Las Vegas later this month. The feature will be available to consumers from late February through spring, Mehdi added, including on Microsoft’s upcoming Surface devices.
Crucial quote
Microsoft believes 2024 will be “the year of the AI PC,” Mehdi said. Microsoft “will usher in a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI is seamlessly integrated into Windows, from system to silicon to hardware,” he added. “The coming year promises to be nothing short of extraordinary!
Key context
Businesses around the world have quickly decided to capitalize on recent advances in artificial intelligence, particularly following the popularity of OpenAI’s Chat-GPT. Microsoft, which has invested heavily and works closely with OpenAI, has been at the forefront of this change and has quickly integrated the technology into many of its products. This includes several of its flagship brands, including Bing Search and Windows Office. Its decision to codify its AI assistant via hardware changes could lead to broader changes in the industry. Microsoft is an extremely influential player in the field of consumer technologies: its Windows operating system is by far the most popular. used computer most popular operating system in the world and, through licensing agreements, it has significant influence over other PC manufacturers. As the entire industry adopts AI, customers may need to update their hardware more often to keep pace with rapidly advancing software developments.
Further reading
Microsoft’s new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years (Edge)