Earlier this month, Microsoft allegedly confirmed that it would be stepping back from its ‘AI everywhere‘ position, saying that it would address Windows features that matter to consumers, such as fixing bugs and ensuring a smoother experience. I never believed that for a second, bearing in mind the company has invested several billions in AI. So, lo and behold, last week the company showcased ‘Ask Copilot’, an optional feature which can be used instead of the standard Windows Search, which is crap anyway, and you’re better off using Everything.
Personally, I’m hoping that Microsoft will stick to optional for all AI features in Windows, especially since the company is adding a Copilot button in File Explorer. It already sticks itself on your taskbar anyway, with new keyboards now being kitted out with a Copilot key when we already have two Windows keys!
Jeremy Chapman, Microsoft 365 Director, even gave a presentation on Copilot and AI in Windows, during which I almost fell asleep. Can’t the company make its presentations snappier and more exciting to watch? It appears not.
Don’t get me wrong, AI does have an important part in our lives, especially for those of us who use our computers daily for whatever form our creation takes. However, the key, for me anyway and many of my peers and colleagues, is not having it rammed down our throats. I gauge opinion from numerous sources – forums, YouTube, online articles, and comments – with the general consensus being that we are living through AI overload, with the lines between real and fantasy becoming blurred.
AI Is Simply A Tool
Or at least it should be. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, I do use Copilot, Grok, and Gemini for image creation in order to avoid copyright infringement. But I have yet to use AI for creation or assistance in my writing efforts, such as short stories and novels, whether they be fiction or fact-based fiction. I see that as a slippery slope, although I may experiment with it purely as an illustration and publish my findings here. We already know there are thousands of books written by AI and published in online stores such as Amazon, falsely purporting to have been written by a well-known person, not to mention the amount of AI-slop videos on YouTube and other video channels. I firmly believe that Microsoft is going all out on AI/Copilot, but I also think it’s about time the company paid more attention to its core users of Windows.
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