Computers & Laptops | July 5, 2023
The fever for Artificial Intelligence hasn’t diminished. The revolution started by ChatGPT is still noticeable, especially after Google’s response in a fully AI-dominated Google I/O event, showcasing new intelligent features in their apps.
But thanks to its investment in OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, Microsoft remains ahead with its AI-powered Bing and now with Copilot, an AI for Windows 11 that can assist us at all times and perform advanced functions.
After the official announcement last May, the first version of Windows 11 with integrated Copilot has finally been released today. However, it’s not recommended for regular users and instead has been launched only for experts and enthusiasts.
Windows Copilot arrives with Windows Insider Dev Channel Build version 23493, the unstable version of Windows 11 where new features are implemented before they reach the stable version used by most people. Therefore, Copilot’s development is not yet complete and is still in an unfinished state, which is evident because it can’t do many things for now.
As Microsoft explains, the great advantage of Copilot compared to ChatGPT and other generative AI is its integration with Windows. It can generate not only texts or images (such as stories or bizarre photos that would be impossible in real life), but also execute Windows functions and integrate with the programs we are using, although initially, there may not be many.
As an example of its integration with Windows, you can ask Copilot to enable dark mode in the Windows interface, take a screenshot, or activate the do not disturb mode. Although these functions are accessible through menus, with Copilot, we don’t have to search for them on our own. Another interesting feature is the integration with the Edge browser, which allows Copilot to summarize the webpage we are viewing in a clear and concise manner.
The interface of Copilot is very similar to Bing Chat, and it’s evident that Microsoft has reused some of the work, with the same text box for inputting our queries and a very similar, if not identical, design. It even includes the selector that allows changing the conversation style, allowing us to obtain more casual, precise, or balanced results according to our preferences.
In addition to Copilot, this version of Windows 11 has also received some of the upcoming features, including a new design for the Settings menu that provides access to the most used sections and Microsoft services such as OneDrive and Microsoft 365. It also includes support for RAR, 7z, and other file formats, which could potentially render programs like WinRAR obsolete. Other updates include the new sound mixer, which allows us to adjust the volume of individual open apps independently, as well as security improvements.
