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NEW YORK — In the biggest update to the Windows keyboard in 30 years, Microsoft is adding a “Copilot” key that summons an AI-powered assistant with the click of a button.
The software giant announced Thursday that Copilot keys will soon be included in some new PCs manufactured and sold by various manufacturers that run on the Windows operating system, heralding the “year of the AI PC.”
This means that with the click of a button, PC users will be able to instantly connect with Copilot, the software giant’s AI-powered chatbot, to ask questions or help draft emails. means.
“This will not only simplify people’s computing experience, but expand it even further, making 2024 the year of the AI PC,” said Microsoft Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer. Yusuf Mehdi said internally. blog post Announce the co-pilot key.
Mehdi added that the new keys will ultimately “allow Copilot to be used seamlessly in everyday life.” Notably, Copilot is powered by OpenAI’s underlying technology after Microsoft invested his $13 billion in the AI startup.
If Copilot isn’t yet available in your country or isn’t enabled on your device, pressing the Copilot key will launch Windows Search.
The new key features the Copilot ribbon logo and is located at the bottom right of the keyboard, near the space bar and Alt button.
This addition marks the first major change to Windows PC keyboards since Microsoft added the Windows key in 1994. This button was featured on laptop and desktop keyboards sold by companies such as Dell, Lenovo, and HP.
The move by Microsoft comes just ahead of next week’s tech convention CES, where more AI product updates are expected to be announced from a number of companies. Over the past year, Big Tech companies have been racing to develop and integrate AI tools across their products.
In the company’s blog post announcing the Copilot key, Mehdi also hinted at “big changes” coming for Microsoft in 2024, saying “AI will seamlessly integrate into Windows from systems to silicon to hardware. “It will be incorporated.”