What is Microsoft Copilot?

If you haven't been using AI until now, then you'll more than likely be using it by the end of the month. Microsoft Copilot, an AI powered feature for Windows, will become available from 26th September as part of a Windows 11 Version 22H2 update.

About Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot will add AI features to your Windows 11 desktop. That really is it in its basic form. You may have seen some of your favourite cloud platforms incorporating AI in some form or another, such as HubSpot with Chatspot and Content Assistant, or Notion AI in Notion.

It's no secret that Microsoft have been keen to be ahead of the game when it comes to AI. Their deal with OpenAI made that absolutely clear. But what does that mean for the rest of us?

Feature Spotlight

Here are some features that caught my attention, and some initial thoughts:

• Copilot in Windows - Copilot looks to be an additional app that will gives you access to Bing Chat right in the desktop. Bing chat of course is AI powered, so you will access to AI right on your desktop. Not a bad feature as it now makes AI accessible to everyone to use.
• Bing chat is adding support for DALL.E 3, OpenAIs image generation model, apparently to make your searches more personal, based on your search history. But here's the thing - when you create an image, Bing will add "Content Credentials", and invisible digital watermark on the image to say that this image was created using AI. More on this later.
• Paint, Photos, Snipping Tool and Clipchamp are all getting AI features. I know right, Microsoft Paint, of all things, getting supercharged by AI. We truly are living in the future. Humour aside, Microsoft are adding Image generation into Paint and giving users the ability to ask AI to improve images in Photos. They are also giving users the ability to ask AI to extract specific content from a screenshot in Snipping Tool, and an "auto compose" feature in Clipchamp to assist users in making videos quickly.

Content Credentials

This is an interesting feature. I've spoken to many content creators, be it copyrighters, graphic designers or video producers, and one thing is clear - they don't want their jobs to go. Neither do I. In fact, it's easy to tell AI created content against human created content, so I think we're still in that safe zone.

If I'm reading the above correctly, Microsoft appear to making those first steps to ensure that creative that AI has made is marked as being created. While this is welcome, I do still feel that "Big Tech" have to show more effort into ensuring that AI is clearly distinguished from human created content. Let's face it - AI is only going to get better, and that fine line will disappear.

Microsoft Designer

It wasn't so long ago that they announced we will start seeing AI features in Office. That time has now come - introducing Microsoft Designer. Microsoft Designer is an AI powered image generator which now features in your favourite Microsoft Office applications, such as Word and PowerPoint.

Conclusion

I've read the announcement on Microsoft Blog. It seems to me that Microsoft are keen to point out that AI will be a tool that will be there to assist you, and not to completely dominate your day to day personal or work life. I believe they have to take that angle - many are fearing AI and its capabilities, but when used responsibly, it can be a great tool to help you become more productive. Microsoft, as well as other companies, recognise this.