Latest news with #Copilot
Android Authority
2 hours ago
- Business
- Android Authority
You can start testing Xbox's new Copilot chatbot in the mobile app right now
TL;DR Microsoft is rolling out a Copilot for Gaming beta to the Xbox app on Android and iOS. Players can ask the chatbot about the game they're playing, for help, for information about their play history, and more. The beta is currently available in English in 53 markets, including the US. It was only a matter of time, but Microsoft is now bringing Copilot to Xbox. The company is beginning to roll out a beta for Copilot for Gaming to the Xbox app on Android and iOS. If you have the beta version of the Xbox app installed on your phone, you can begin testing out this new feature starting today. Like any chatbot, Copilot for Gaming will allow you to ask various questions, providing answers, as well as links to more information if a response includes web sources. However, this chatbot is designed explicitly for answering your gaming-related queries. According to Microsoft, this early version of the AI can answer questions on the game you're playing, your Xbox activity, your account, and your play history and achievements. You'll also be able to use it to provide recommendations on what you should play next. To demonstrate what questions you could ask, Microsoft provided the following examples: If you want to ask questions about a specific game or the game you're currently playing. 'Hey Copilot, can you remind me what materials I need to craft a sword in Minecraft?' If you want game recommendations. 'I love horror movies. Any suggestions for what game I should play?' If you have a question about your play history or account. 'Hey Copilot, what's the rarest achievement you can get in Avowed?' While these will be Copilot for Gaming's initial capabilities, it will gain more functions at an unspecified later date. Microsoft says that it's working on bringing 'deeper personalization' and 'richer game assistance' like proactive coaching. If you're interested in trying out Copilot for Gaming, the early test is being rolled out in 53 markets, including the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and more. However, you'll need to be 18, and it's only available in English. You can download the Android version of the beta Xbox app on the Google Play Store. If you don't already have the beta version of the Xbox app on iOS, Microsoft says you'll still be able to get in on early testing when Copilot for Gaming comes to Game Bar on Windows PC. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft starts testing Copilot for Gaming in Xbox app for iOS and Android
Microsoft announced on Wednesday that it has started rolling out the beta version of its Copilot for Gaming experience. Beta testers can access the experience in the Xbox app on iOS and Android. The early version of the experience allows the assistant to answer questions about the games you're interested in, give you links to more information, and answer questions based on your account, play history, achievements, and more. For example, you could ask something like: "What's my gamerscore and can you give me some tips to raise it?" or 'I love horror movies. Any suggestions for what game I should play?' As for questions about your play history or account, you could ask something like: "What was the last achievement I got in Starfield?" or "When does my Game Pass subscription renew?' "In this early version of the feature for mobile, you'll be able to access Copilot for Gaming on a second screen, without distracting you from your core gameplay experience," Taylor O'Malley, principal program manager at Xbox, explained in a blog post. Once you ask Copilot a question, it looks at your player activity on Xbox, alongside public information from Bing, to formulate a response. Microsoft says it's working to add more personalization and richer game assistance, such as proactive coaching, to Copilot for Gaming in the future. The beta version of Copilot for Gaming is available in English for players aged 18 and older in the following countries: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkiye, UAE, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA and Vietnam. Microsoft plans to release the experience in additional regions at a later date. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
Scientific American
6 hours ago
- Science
- Scientific American
Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot Has Started Reciting Climate Denial Talking Points
CLIMATEWIRE | It was a simple enough question. Is climate change an urgent threat to the planet? To most climate scientists, the answer is straightforward: Yes, rapid warming from fossil fuel burning is pushing Earth toward dangerous tipping points. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. But that wasn't the response provided recently by Grok, the AI chatbot program developed by xAI, the artificial intelligence company led by Elon Musk, the Tesla and X CEO and ally to President Donald Trump. When asked that question earlier this month by Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M University, Grok acknowledged findings from NOAA and NASA that show the risks of global warming. But it then contrasted those findings with the claims of climate denialists who downplay the risks of global warming. The program gave a similar answer when queried last week by a reporter with POLITICO'S E&E News. "Climate change is a serious threat with urgent aspects," Grok responded. "But its immediacy depends on perspective, geography, and timeframe." Asked a second time a few days later, Grok reiterated that point and said "extreme rhetoric on both sides muddies the water. Neither 'we're all gonna die' nor 'it's all a hoax' holds up." Grok added an important caveat too — and one many scientists likely would agree with too — when it was queried a third time on Monday: "The planet itself will endure; it's human systems—agriculture, infrastructure, economies—and vulnerable species that face the most immediate risks." The answers are distinct from what other AI programs such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot and Google's Gemini say about climate change, said Dessler, who has tested different AI models for years. When those programs are asked about global warming, they echo the scientific consensus that humanity's burning of fossil fuels is heating up planet Earth and imperiling the people who live there. "Yes, climate change is widely recognized as an urgent and significant threat to the planet," responded ChatGPT last week when asked the same question. "Urgent action is required to mitigate emissions and adapt to its impacts." Said Google's Gemini on Monday: "Yes, the scientific consensus is that climate change is an urgent threat to the planet." Grok's recent responses to the climate question are different even from previous versions of Grok, Dessler added. Grok is now on its third iteration after first launching in 2023, and the latest version is promoting fringe climate viewpoints in a way it hasn't done before. 'A lot of the arguments it was bringing up were just sort of well trodden denier talking points that don't deserve any rehearing,' said Dessler. But don't just take Dessler's word for it. Grok acknowledged the change when asked by an E&E News reporter about the shift in tone. 'Grok was criticized for progressive-leaning responses on climate change and other issues,' the chatbot wrote back. 'xAI, under Elon Musk's direction, took steps to make Grok 'politically neutral,' which could amplify minority views like climate skepticism to balance perceived mainstream bias.' xAI did not respond to a request for comment. Grok's misdirection comes as the Trump administration is increasingly reliant on the program. Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency is now using Grok to analyze data across the federal government, Reuters reported Friday. Earlier this month, Grok reported that it had been 'instructed' to aggressively promote the debunked 'white genocide' in South Africa conspiracy theory that Trump and Musk have pushed. Grok's new tune speaks to the rapid changes now gripping the cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence. Far from being neutral arbiters of objective fact, AI programs in many ways reflect the flaws and biases of their human creators. And that comes with a big risk. The language learning models that power AI chatbots are 'really quite malleable and you can change the kind of results they give,' Dessler said. 'They're not tied to any absolute truth or anything like that and if you want one to lie to you, you can tell it to do that. If you want it to give you a particular viewpoint, you can do that.' Which in the case of Grok, may reflect the leanings of the mercurial Musk, who has been a cipher on the issue of global warming. The world's richest man has advanced efforts to combat climate change — such as underwriting a contest to promote carbon removal — but he also helped elect Trump, who has described global warming as a hoax and pushed policies to promote fossil fuels. Grok too has been fluid on the issue. The AI program clearly states that NOAA and NASA are authorities on climate change, but it also brings in the voices of those who cherry-pick data to downplay the consequences of global warming. When asked if climate change presents a danger to the planet — which science clearly shows — Grok notes that some question the urgency of reacting. 'Wealthier nations can mitigate impacts through infrastructure (e.g., Dutch sea walls) or agricultural shifts,' Grok states. 'Skeptics like Bjørn Lomborg argue adaptation is cheaper than drastic emissions cuts, prioritizing economic growth.' The AI program also questions climate models. 'Some models show gradual changes over centuries, not imminent collapse, giving time for technological solutions (e.g., carbon capture),' Grok noted. Grok 3 billed itself as the world's most powerful AI system when it was unveiled earlier this year. But it stands apart in promoting climate denial, according to Théo Alves Da Costa, an AI engineer who specializes in climate issues and president of Data for Good, a French nonprofit that tracks technology and climate impacts. He noted that Grok produced misleading claims about 10 percent of the time, which none of the other major AI models do. That includes 'classic climate disinformation arguments—natural variability, solar cycles, conspiracy narratives about the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] and transition solution skepticism,' he noted. 'Malicious people can use Grok to intentionally generate climate misinformation to sow doubt about scientific consensus or environmental movements,' he said. One issue is that Grok includes input from some posts on X, which is laden with climate denial and conspiracies. Prominent right-wing voices previously have complained that Grok is too liberal. Musk has said he agrees and pledged that his chatbot would eradicate liberal ideas. In February, Musk said having the 'woke mind virus' programmed into AI was an 'existential danger.' 'Maybe the biggest existential danger to humanity is having it programmed into the AI, as is the case for every AI besides @Grok,' Musk wrote on Twitter in February. 'Even for Grok, it's tough to remove, because there is so much woke content on the internet.' The Trump administration so far has embraced AI as a solution to many American challenges. Within a few days of taking office, Trump signed an executive order to establish the U.S. as a global AI leader. In April, Trump signed an executive order to require 'AI literacy and proficiency' for school children. Trump officials, including Musk, have claimed AI could replace tens of thousands of federal jobs and be relied upon for high-stakes decisions on electrical grid planning and other uses. Trump has said that he wants a massive build-out of natural gas and coal-fired power plants to power AI data centers across the country. Those run the risk of increasing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and adding to the ever-growing problem of global warming. But scientists say AI still can be a boon for the climate fight. Still, AI has the potential to assist in helping address climate impacts. It has been deployed by scientists to track melting icebergs, extreme weather and deforestation. The United Nations is using AI to track how climate change is affecting vulnerable populations. Google is deploying AI to make it less energy-intensive. But climate disinformation can impede these efforts, said Dessler, the climate scientist at Texas A&M. Which is why AI systems need to provide accurate science information. 'As we go into the future, more and more people are going to get their information from these AIs,' Dessler said. 'Obviously, the concern is that someone's going to do something like this to mislead people.'
The Verge
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Microsoft starts testing Xbox Copilot on iOS and Android
Microsoft is starting to rollout an early version of its Copilot for Gaming experience on iOS and Android. Testers can now access Copilot within the Xbox mobile app, allowing the assistant to work as a companion for downloading games, listing achievements, and much more. This first version allows you to quickly see recent Xbox achievements, get game recommendations based on your play history, and ask for tips or guides about completing games. You'll also be able to use this Xbox Copilot to download and install games on your console. The Copilot for Gaming, as it's officially called, even has a customizable voice that's similar to the ones found in Microsoft's main Copilot. The chatbot interface is also similar across the two variants. 'In this early version of the feature for mobile, you'll be able to access Copilot for Gaming on a second screen, without distracting you from your core gameplay experience, explains Taylor O'Malley, principal program manager at Xbox. 'The companion knows what game you're playing and understands your Xbox activity, so it can answer any questions about the games you're interested in, provide links to more information when its response includes web sources, or answer questions based on your account, play history and achievements.' Microsoft also has a vision of turning this Copilot into an AI gaming coach, to guide you through games on an Xbox console in the future. The Xbox maker demonstrated earlier this year how a future Copilot for Gaming interface could assist you playing Overwatch 2 by pointing out mistakes you made during the game or recommending good hero picks to complement the rest of the team. Microsoft also demonstrated the Copilot within Minecraft, where you could ask it questions about how to craft objects. A similar feature is also available in Copilot Vision on Windows. You can start testing Copilot for Gaming in the beta version of the Xbox mobile app in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Singapore. Microsoft has a full list of countries that can access the beta here, but it looks like the UK and most of Europe won't be able to access it just yet.
Globe and Mail
8 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Jefferies' Top Analyst Names Microsoft Stock 'Top AI Pick'
Jefferies' top analyst, Brent Thill, called Microsoft (MSFT) stock 'our top AI pick' after returning impressed from the tech giant's annual developer conference, MSFT Build 2025, held in Seattle last week. Thill maintained his 'Buy' rating on MSFT stock, along with a price target of $550, which implies 22.2% upside potential from current levels. He stated that Microsoft is focused on becoming more of an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, positioning it strongly to capitalize on the rapidly-evolving AI sector. Confident Investing Starts Here: Thill is a five-star analyst on TipRanks, ranking #118 out of the 9,562 analysts covered. He boasts an impressive success rate of 67% and an average return per rating of 13.20%. Thill's 5 Key Takeaways from Microsoft Build The Microsoft Build conference brings together thousands of developers and technology enthusiasts, offering them hands-on experience and the opportunity to connect with Microsoft's engineers. Each year, the event showcases the company's latest technologies, tools, and platforms, with a focus on Microsoft's ecosystem, including Windows, Azure Cloud Services, NET, Microsoft 365, AI, and more. Let's take a brief look at Thill's 5 key takeaways from this year's conference. Microsoft is expected to roll out its updated Copilot platform, which leverages the power of AI reasoning through Researcher and Analyst agents. Thill noted that although Copilot's adoption is still in its early stages, the company remains committed to rolling out the updates. The analyst cited two major barriers for Copilot's success: data access and governance, which could hamper the model's accuracy as well as its ability to operate transparently, ethically, and securely. He believes the overall macroeconomic environment remains cautiously optimistic, but Microsoft is mostly viewed as a safe haven. Thill anticipates that Microsoft is leaning toward becoming an open platform and hub for AI. To conclude, Thill noted that developers were generally excited about Copilot's improvement over the past three to six months and its ability to quickly integrate future reasoning models. He also mentioned that the updated Copilot, with enhanced research capabilities, will help narrow the gap between OpenAI's Deep Research. Additionally, the rollout of Copilot Search and Copilot Memory in June should further close this gap. Is Microsoft Stock a Good Buy? Wall Street remains highly optimistic about Microsoft's long-term stock trajectory. On TipRanks, MSFT stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 30 Buys and five Hold ratings. Also, the average Microsoft price target of $512.34 implies 13.8% upside potential from current levels. Year-to-date, MSFT stock has gained 7.2%. See more MSFT analyst ratings
