Microsoft Unveils Revolutionary AI Key for Windows 11 Keyboards
Microsoft has unveiled a significant evolution in its keyboard technology, introducing an AI key designed to provide users access to Copilot, Microsoft’s AI tool, on the latest Windows 11 PCs.
The company, a substantial investor in OpenAI, emphasizes its commitment to AI integration, previously witnessed in products like Microsoft 365 and Bing search in 2023.
Scheduled for release in new products from February, Excel Magazine International gathered that the keyboards with the Copilot key will be showcased at the upcoming CES tech event in Las Vegas.
Microsoft executive vice president, Yusuf Mehdi expressed the transformative nature of this development, likening it to the introduction of the Windows key nearly 30 years ago, aiming to “simplify” and “amplify” the user experience.
Copilot, known for assisting users with tasks such as searching, email composition, and image creation, has been integrated into Office 365 applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.
While Windows 11 users can currently access Copilot with the Windows key + C shortcut, the dedicated Copilot key underscores Microsoft’s commitment to this feature and its potential to enhance user engagement across their product ecosystem.
Professor John Tucker, a computer scientist at the University of Swansea, sees the introduction of the Copilot key as a “natural step” and emphasizes its value in binding users to Microsoft’s diverse product offerings.
However, he remarks that the limited evolution of keyboards over the past 30 years is not a point of pride.
Google, a dominant force in the search engine arena, has its own AI system named Bard.
Yet, Microsoft’s collaboration with OpenAI, particularly the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, triggered a competitive rush among rivals to release their AI versions.
Copilot, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model, has drawn attention, with the UK’s competition watchdog scrutinizing Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI following boardroom chaos that led to a close alliance between the two firms.
