Microsoft, with its major Windows updates, is targeting the year 2024 as the ‘AI PC’ revolution.
To embrace the future of technology, Microsoft is making a notable modification to the keyboard on their latest laptops and PCs, aiming to make 2024 the year of the AI PC. The role of artificial intelligence (AI) is key to redefining how you use your PCs.
Microsoft’s partners will ship new PCs and laptops with a convenient Copilot key which is the next Windows major update. This key allows users to easily access Microsoft’s AI-powered Windows Copilot experience with just a button on the keyboard.
This new addition to the Windows PC keyboard layout is a significant Microsoft major update that has not been seen in almost thirty years. Microsoft recalled its nearly 30-year-old introduction of the Windows key to the PC keyboard, allowing users worldwide to interact with Windows. They are viewing this next Windows major update as a significant milestone in their Windows journey, where Copilot will serve as the gateway to the realm of AI on the PC.
Microsoft is Introducing a New Addition to the Windows Keyboard: the Copilot Key!
This new Copilot key on the keyboard will replace the application or menu key that debuted with Windows many years ago. It will be positioned adjacent to the Alt key on the right side of most keyboards, with the exact placement differing depending on the manufacturer and market. It’s located in the same spot where Microsoft introduced a specialized Office key to its keyboards in 2019.
Launching the Copilot key activates the Windows Copilot, a built-in feature of Windows 11. This handy chatbot, similar to ChatGPT, can answer questions and perform tasks within the Windows environment.
If Windows Copilot is unavailable in your country, the Copilot key on the keyboard will launch Windows Search instead. The Windows key currently serves as a gateway to the Start menu and can be combined with different keys to access various Windows features and functions. On the other hand, the Copilot essential functions solely as a launch key. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft plans to allow users to utilize the Copilot key in conjunction with other keys down the line.
Microsoft keeps the details about which OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) will include the Copilot key under wraps, saving the announcements for next week’s Consumer Electronics Show and beyond. The Copilot key will be shown off on new Windows 11 PCs from their ecosystem partners starting later in January 2024 and going through the spring. This includes the latest Surface devices that are coming out.
There is gossip in the tech world about Microsoft’s major update plans to release the highly anticipated Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 models this spring. And the existence of the Copilot key on Surface devices, which was once just a rumor, has now been officially confirmed.
Pressing the Copilot key on the keyboard will activate the Windows Copilot feature pre-installed on Microsoft’s operating system.
Microsoft has been integrating Copilot into various aspects of their products throughout 2023. The introduction of the Copilot key on the keyboard is just one piece of the more extensive AI-driven updates set to roll out for Windows in 2024.
At the start of this new year, there will be a significant change toward a brighter and more personalized future for computers. AI will be built into Windows from the system to the silicon to the hardware. People’s computer experience will not only become more accessible but also better. 2024 will be the year of the AI PC.
Microsoft is developing a Windows “refresh” to prioritize integrating new AI capabilities, expanding its usage across various software and services. Microsoft has kicked off the year by branding Microsoft Edge as the “AI browser,” indicating that Microsoft’s focus on AI is still going strong.
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