You can ask Windows 11 AI for info inside your phone's texts. Here's how it works.
Microsoft debuted a cornucopia of goodies at the Surface event on Thursday, including the Surface Laptop Go 3, Surface Laptop Studio 2, and a password-free new version of Windows. However, what really caught my eye are all the striking features Copilot, Windows 11's new AI companion, will be bringing to the OS.
As it turns out, Copilot won't be limited to the confines of Windows 11. The Redmond-based tech giant revealed that not only will Copilot have the ability to tap into your files, Microsoft 365 activity, and the entire web, but it can also dig its digital fingers into your phone's text conversations, too.
At the Surface event, Microsoft showcased this feature by presenting a hypothetical situation in which a woman doesn't remember the date and time of her upcoming flights. However, she recalls discussing these details within an SMS conversation. She can ask Windows 11 Copilot, manifested as a chatbot embedded in the OS, to dive into her Windows 11-connected phone to extract the details she needs. She can simply type in, "Please type my flight info." Copilot was able to unearth the woman's flight details in seconds.
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In other words, you no longer need to waste time scrolling through your conversations to find something you're looking for — Copilot can do it for you quickly and seamlessly. The demo also revealed Copilot can text people on your behalf. For example, if you want to see a Broadway play with your spouse, you can ask Copilot to text your significant other all the upcoming showings nearby.
This tech may raise thorny questions about privacy. I asked about this at the Surface event and a Microsoft rep told me that Windows 11 users can toggle off Copilot's prying eyes on their texts.
Copilot is poised to make its full debut on Sept. 26. If you want to explore all the new AI features the novel assistant has to offer, be sure to update Windows 11 on or after that date.
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
