- Microsoft is rolling out an replace for the Copilot app
- It adjustments the house web page to be extra just like the Begin menu
- The rollout is underway, however it could take a while to succeed in all Home windows 11 customers
Microsoft is altering the Copilot app in Home windows 11 in order that it presents the person with an expertise extra just like the Begin menu, reasonably than the present chat-based house web page.
Home windows Newest experiences {that a} new replace for the Copilot app, which is at the moment being rolled out to all Home windows 11 customers by way of the Microsoft Retailer, applies a considerable makeover to the house web page for the AI assistant (as seen in testing beforehand).
At the moment there is a chat-style interface the place your typed question is central, very similar to the net model of Copilot (as proven within the picture above), however the brand new app transforms the house web page into one thing extra akin to the Begin menu (see the picture beneath).
As Home windows Newest factors out, you continue to get the greeting from Copilot, and the important thing question (chat) field, however there at the moment are 4 new panels adorning the display offering varied extras.
These embrace hyperlinks to leap straight again into information you’ve got lately used, in addition to conversations with Copilot you’ve got had up to now, you could rekindle must you want.
An additional panel affords the power to ‘Work on Copilot Pages’ which permits for engaged on writing and coding tasks (that require plentiful enhancing and revisions), and a fourth panel affords guided assist with apps. The latter kicks off a Copilot Imaginative and prescient session with the app in query, supplying you with ideas and recommendation on utilizing the applying.
Home windows Newest additionally uncovered references that counsel Copilot’s ChatGPT-powered Agent is coming to the AI app in Home windows 11. Agent affords the power to hold out sure duties for you, akin to reserving journey tickets, and the tech web site believes it’d arrive within the subsequent replace for the Copilot app (add seasoning appropriately).
Evaluation: the Begin of an even bigger change?
As famous, all this has beforehand been seen in testing, however is outwardly now rolling out in full. That mentioned, the rollout is an ongoing course of, and never everybody will see the brand new house web page for the Copilot app proper now – it’s going to take some time to filter via to all Home windows 11 PCs.
The broad thought right here is hooking the Copilot app’s tentacles into extra of Home windows 11. In different phrases, Microsoft goes past easy AI queries with the app, and integrating extra of what you may have to do within the working system. So, for instance, you possibly can click on on a doc flagged within the recently-used information panel of the Copilot app, and it will fireplace it up in Phrase on the desktop.
Granted, the brand new app’s house web page is not all that just like the Begin menu, however you possibly can see it taking cues from that central a part of the Home windows 11 interface, and that raises an attention-grabbing prospect. Proper now, we’re a Begin menu-style design within the Copilot app; however sooner or later, will that concept be flipped round? By which I imply: will we be a Begin menu that is totally based mostly on the Copilot AI?
If we take the infusion of AI into Home windows 11 – which is clearly taking place – to its logical conclusion, Copilot goes to get all over the place, and the Begin menu might find yourself wanting one thing like this new tackle the Copilot app. It will middle on queries (together with native searches) pushed by the AI, and supply not simply fast entry to your apps, however assist with them – and probably we will count on Copilot to energy suggestions, too. (Possibly that’ll make the latter extra useful; or perhaps not, they usually’ll proceed to be a car for Microsoft’s nudges-bordering-on-ads).
This appears like an apparent approach ahead for Microsoft, so maybe with this Copilot app redesign we have simply caught our first glimpse of the way forward for the Begin menu in Home windows 12 (or regardless of the next-gen OS finally ends up being referred to as). Or perhaps this AI factor will all blow over (however you do not consider that any greater than I do, do you?).