Microsoft rolled out the latest update to Windows 11 on Tuesday and it includes a major new feature. Along with a host of changes, the new update introduces Microsoft’s own chatbot called Copilot, a direct rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Bard.
The Copilot AI assistant began rolling out a month ago with the Windows 11 22H2 update, but it should finally reach everyone using 23H2. Just like ChatGPT, Copilot is also able to generate text and other content using only a few words as prompts. It is based on large language models created by OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, which have been trained on extensive datasets.
Copilot can be used for a whole range of tasks such as writing an email, automatically performing actions in Windows, answering questions, or increasing its knowledge from websites. This can be used to open apps in Windows, turn on dark mode, take a screenshot, or turn on Bluetooth to connect to an external device.
It can also be used while browsing the internet on Microsoft Edge. The AI assistant can summarize a webpage or explain an article. Compared to Apple’s virtual assistant Siri, Copilot is capable of having more detailed conversations, like ChatGPT. Needless to say, this new virtual assistant makes for an apt replacement for Cortana, which almost nobody used.
Other Updates
Copilot makes the latest Windows update one of the most significant ones as of yet. But this is not the only new feature Microsoft has introduced with the 23H2 update.
The Clipchamp video editing app makes the task easier by using AI. After asking a few questions, it can put together a compilation of scenes in the edited footage. Smart snipping allows text to be taken out of screenshots quite easily. This can also be used to remove text from an image to censor phone numbers or other personal details.
Even Microsoft Paint is getting AI upgrades that can create an image with a few words. There is also more taskbar customization, notepad with memory, improved search for pictures, file recommendations, and better backups. Windows has also introduced “instant games”, which can load up a casual game on the Windows Store instantly without having to download or install them.
