Microsoft’s Windows 11 Revolutionizes the Start Menu and Introduces Copilot Chatbot
Written by Jordan Novet | Published on CNBC
Microsoft has unveiled the latest major update to its Windows 11 operating system, bringing significant changes and new features. One of the standout additions is the introduction of Copilot, an advanced chatbot that operates similarly to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Powered by AI, Copilot can generate human-like text, answer questions, and perform various actions within the Windows environment, leveraging data from websites to enhance its knowledge.
This year, Microsoft enhanced its Bing search engine with a chatbot, and now a variation of this technology is integrated into Windows 11. The company is also launching Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI add-on designed for corporate workers who utilize productivity apps.
The Windows Copilot offers PC users multiple features, including the ability to open apps, enable dark mode, activate Bluetooth, and obtain website summaries while using the Edge browser. In comparison, Apple’s Mac computers feature the Siri assistant, but its capabilities do not match the level of detail provided by Windows Copilot.
Since its debut in 2021, Windows 11 has gained popularity and currently accounts for approximately 24% of desktop PCs worldwide, as stated by StatCounter. Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that companies such as BP, Eurowings, Kantar, and RBC are embracing Windows 11 deployments.
Windows continues to be a vital revenue stream for Microsoft, serving as a foundation for their Microsoft 365 productivity suite and facilitating growth in the Azure public cloud. Copilot represents a significant part of this year’s Windows 11 release, and Microsoft is continually providing new features to customers through its “continuous innovation” approach, as opposed to an annual release schedule.
Windows 11 introduces several other notable features in its 2023 Update, including a virtual video editor that employs AI to streamline video compilation. Additionally, screen reading capabilities have been expanded to support various languages, and an energy-saving “adaptive dimming” feature has been added. Moreover, users can now log directly into cloud-based Windows instances, and the Snipping Tool enables easy text extraction from screenshots.
Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing user experience extends to the Paint app, which will soon feature AI capabilities. Users will be able to describe an image, and Paint will generate it according to their description. Furthermore, Windows 11 offers improved taskbar customization, an auto-save function for Notepad, enhanced image search capabilities in the Photos app, and file recommendations in the File Explorer.
While some features may be initially available only in specific regions or in a preview phase, Microsoft aims to expand their availability in the future, ensuring a global user experience. With these updates, Microsoft demonstrates its dedication to providing innovative and user-friendly solutions within its Windows operating system.
