An AI assistant will soon be on hand to help with Windows settings
AI is set to integrate most native Windows applications, including Photos and Notepad. — Microsoft
Microsoft has announced a host of new features for PCs, including the arrival of an AI assistant specially dedicated to managing Windows settings.
With Windows 11, Microsoft is aiming to simplify access to the operating system's (many) settings. And in the age of artificial intelligence, the Redmond firm is taking things to a new level, as it will soon be offering a special AI assistant tasked with responding to users' natural-language queries.
The idea is to be able to report a problem ("the text on the screen is too small') or launch a command ("control my PC by voice') directly via the search field dedicated to settings. Novices can simply describe what they want to do, and the agent will suggest one or more solutions. This avoids the need to spend time searching through Windows settings, looking for the right option in the right menu.
The experience should be much less frustrating, as the AI assistant is designed to provide all the relevant answers. With the user's consent, it can even perform or automate certain tasks.
This new feature will soon be available to members of the Windows Insider program, who can test new features of the operating system in advance – so long as they have recent hardware, ie, a Copilot+ PC equipped with a Snapdragon processor. Other users will have to be a little more patient, as no official rollout to the general public has yet been announced.
Generally speaking, AI is set to integrate most native Windows applications, including Photos and Notepad. This is already the case in Paint with the "Cocreator' function, which generates images from text descriptions.
Finally, Microsoft has confirmed the forthcoming rollout of Recall, its controversial optimized search functionality based on screen captures at regular intervals, raising questions about privacy. It will nevertheless be possible to deactivate this function at any time. – AFP Relaxnews
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