All Windows 11 PCs Will Get These Advanced Copilot AI Features

Steven

All Windows 11 PCs Will Get These Advanced Copilot AI Features

Summary

Microsoft is rolling out a major set of Copilot features to all Windows 11 machines: voice interaction (wake word “Hey, Copilot”), Copilot Vision (which can see and use screen context), and Copilot Actions (AI-driven local actions and automation). These features — plus Connectors that let Copilot access files and third‑party apps — aim to make Copilot a more central part of the Windows experience. Some advanced capabilities will remain exclusive to Copilot+ devices with on‑device NPUs, but the core voice, vision and action features will be broadly available in the coming months.

Key Points

  • Voice becomes a system-wide input: say “Hey, Copilot” to interact with apps and Windows without typing.
  • Copilot Vision can view your screen and provide contextual guidance (floating toolbar called “Highlights”).
  • Copilot Actions lets the assistant perform tasks for you locally — changing settings, batch edits, extracting data from PDFs.
  • Connectors let Copilot access apps/files (OneDrive, Gmail, Google Calendar etc.) to find info and take actions if you’ve given permission.
  • Some features (e.g. Recall and Click to Do) remain exclusive to Copilot+ PCs with stronger on‑device NPUs for faster/private processing.
  • Microsoft is pushing these changes as Windows 10 support ends, hoping to accelerate Windows 11 adoption with an ad campaign and wider feature access.

Context and relevance

This move brings powerful AI interaction to a huge installed base: by making voice, visual context and automation standard features, Microsoft is positioning Copilot as a core Windows interface rather than an add‑on. The rollout follows earlier Copilot+ exclusives and echoes similar steps from rivals (Google’s vision features, Apple’s Spotlight Actions), signalling a platform‑wide shift toward conversational, context‑aware OS assistants. For enterprises and everyday users alike, the update reduces friction for complex tasks (tutorials, batch edits, app navigation) but raises questions about permissions, privacy and how quickly users will adopt voice‑first workflows.

Why should I read this?

Look — if you use a Windows PC, this is the update that could change how you actually get stuff done. Less hunting through menus, more telling your machine what you want. It’s not sci‑fi: it’s the OS trying to be helpful. Read it if you want the quick lowdown on what you’ll be able to say, show or ask your PC soon, and what will still be locked behind fancier hardware.

Source

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-is-rewriting-windows-11-around-ai/