"Microsoft Windows 11 to Enhance AI Capabilities with Copilot as a Key Feature"

Microsoft has begun further integrating artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into Windows 11 in preparation for the upcoming major operating system update, which will focus heavily on AI. The software giant recently started testing a "new experience" of Copilot in Windows, including an animated Copilot in the taskbar that appears when you copy text or images.

Microsoft explained in a blog post, "When you hover over the Copilot icon, it will provide you with an action menu you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text."

In testing the latest Windows 11 Canary version, it performs well in terms of text, summarizing any content you copy. While the icon also animates when copying images, this feature is not fully ready for testing yet. Eventually, you will be able to drag and drop images onto the Copilot icon in the taskbar and receive prompts. Copilot will then be able to tell you what content is included in the image and even assist with editing it.

Aside from the changes to Copilot, Microsoft has also confirmed that its Notepad app will soon integrate Copilot AI. You will be able to select text and right-click to "Explain with Copilot." It will decipher text, code snippets, or log files.

In recent months, Microsoft has gradually added more and more AI features to Windows 11, including the prominent Copilot. This is all in an effort to position Copilot as Microsoft's AI flagship and prepare for major feature updates to Windows. Microsoft aims for 2024 to be the "AI PC year" and has even added a dedicated Copilot key on keyboards.

Intel, Qualcomm, and other companies have hinted that the 2024 Windows "update" will focus on AI, but Microsoft has not officially acknowledged its plans. "The unique thing about Copilot within Windows is that it can sense the context you're in. It can understand the page, so it can do richer things," said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Consumers.

In the latest Windows 11 test builds, we are already seeing Copilot better perceive context, and the company will also leverage the NPU hardware recently introduced in Windows laptops.

While there have been rumors that Windows 12 will be a major move for Microsoft in the AI field, it now appears that this move will be part of the later Windows 11 updates later this year. Microsoft refers to this update as "24H2," the annual feature update scheduled for release in the second half of 2024. In the coming months, we may hear more about Microsoft's AI plans for Windows as the company continues to test how it can fully transform Windows for the "AI PC year."