AI key on Windows
AI key on Windows Announces Microsoft unveiled its most significant keyboard innovation in 30 years: the introduction of an artificial intelligence (AI) key.
Users can use the key to access Microsoft’s AI tool Copilot on newly purchased Windows 11 PCs.
OpenAI, which powers Copilot’s AI capabilities, benefits from a significant investment from Microsoft.
In 2023, AI was incorporated into various products such as Microsoft 365 and Bing Search.
Apple’s competitors have integrated a Siri button or option on the Touch Bar of their MacBooks for several years.
Copilot helps users with tasks like searching, composing emails, and drawing images.
In a blog post revealing the update, Microsoft executive vice president Youssef Mehdi described it as a “transformative” moment, similar to the introduction of the Windows key nearly 30 years ago.
He mentioned that it would streamline and enhance the user experience.
The new keyboard will be included in upcoming products starting in February.
At the CES technology event in Las Vegas next week, Microsoft will introduce products equipped with the CoPilot key.
Upon integration with Office 365 tools like Word, PowerPoint, and Teams, Copilot demonstrated the ability to summarize meetings, write emails, and prepare presentations.
Additionally, it is now included on the Bing search engine.
Professor John Tucker, a computer scientist at Swansea University, considers the introduction of the button to be a “logical progression”.
Windows 11 users can activate CoPilot by pressing the Windows key + C. Introducing a new key underlines the importance of this feature, emphasizing its ability to attract and engage users across different products.
However, he stressed, “The minimal evolution of keyboards over the past 30 years since 1994 is nothing to be proud of.”
The largest search engine globally, Google has its own AI system called Bard.
Still, Microsoft’s partner OpenAI launched the formidable AI tool ChatGPT in 2022, prompting competitors to unveil their iterations hastily.
Copilot relies on OpenAI’s GPT-4, a sophisticated large language model.
The UK competition watchdog is investigating Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI after boardroom disruptions that have led to significant disruptions between the two companies.
