Summary
Microsoftannounced that it will introduce a new key to Windows keyboards, the Copilot key. This marks the first addition to Windows keyboards sinceMicrosoftintroduced the Windows key in 1994.
Microsoft revealed its Copilot AI assistant for Windowsin 2023, an AI chatbot that is intertwined with the Windows 11 operating system. Similar to other AI tools like ChatGPT or Bard, Copilot can assist users in a wide variety of ways. Microsoft used OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model as a foundation for Copilot. However, Microsoft intends for Copilot to be a much more effective tool than its competitors thanks to its close relationship with other programs running on a Windows user’s computer. And it seems that Microsoft is aiming to make Copilot a big deal in 2024.
Microsoft’s executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, Yusuf Mehdi, announced that Windows 11 PCs will begin implementing a new Copilot key in 2024. The key intends to make using Copilot a seamless experience, as the powerful AI assistant will always be ready at the touch of a button. Mehdi explained that fans can expect to see the Copilot key on many of the new PCs from Microsoft’s ecosystem partners this year, some of which will be showcased at CES 2024 later this month. Upcoming Surface devices will feature the new key as well. A Microsoft promotional image showed the new Copilot key on the right side of the keyboard, between the alt key and the left arrow key. However, Microsoft’s partners may place the key in other locations.
Following the release ofChatGPT, AI’s powerful capabilities were finally unveiled to the public, and it seems that Microsoft intends to be a major part of this wave. Although Microsoft already holds 49% ownership in the company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, the tech giant seems to have extensive, long-term plans for its own proprietary AI tool. And Windows computers aren’t the only devices that Microsoft is implementing AI into.
In 2023,Microsoft announced its partnership with Inworld AI, intending to create an AI toolkit for video game developers. This is a multi-year collaboration, so it’s not clear when fans can expect this potentially powerful tool to be unveiled. An Xbox executive explained that this toolkit could push the boundaries of gaming, making it significantly easier for developers to create dialogue, stories, quests, and more for their games. It seems that AI will become a major player in games development going into the future.
As another influential player in the games industry,Square Enix recently confirmed that it plans to be “aggressive"when using AI in future projects. Its president expressed his hopes for AI to make both games development and marketing efforts much more efficient.
