Microsoft is trying to get people to talk to their computers, betting that voice and artificial intelligence software is powerful enough to make such interactions as effective as a keyboard or mouse.
The world’s largest software maker on Thursday introduced a set of updates to its Windows operating system, including the ability to summon Microsoft’s Copilot assistant by saying, “Hey, Copilot.”
In addition to a mouse and keyboard, voice “will now become the third input mechanism”, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer marketing chief, said on a call with reporters.
The updates, which will start arriving for Windows 11 personal computers (PCs) this week, also include a broader roll-out of a tool called Copilot Vision that lets the software see what is on a user’s desktop or in a specific application, to troubleshoot or prompt the software to suggest ideas for a design project.
Windows powers most of the world’s desktop and laptop computers, but its relevance has faded the last decade as people spend more of their time on smartphones. Microsoft was rewriting its operating system around artificial intelligence, Mehdi said, part of a broader bet that such tools would make Windows more capable.
Other AI features, set to be released to users who opt in for an early look at experimental software, include embedding Copilot in the Windows search bar, allowing the assistant to sort files and letting Copilot pull information from email inboxes or calendar listings.