Microsoft's new Recall feature stirs privacy debate; Musk not impressed
Microsoft has unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool named Recall, causing ripples of concern over potential privacy issues. The feature, as explained by CEO Satya Nadella in a viral video, will "remember and understand everything you do on your computer by taking constant screenshots." This AI-powered tool will be integrated into Windows 11, accompanying Copilot, another AI-based feature launched last year to replace Cortana.
Nadella explained Recall's functionality
Nadella, in his video explanation, clarified that Recall is not a simple keyword search tool. Instead, it employs "semantic search over all your history." The AI tool is designed to recreate past moments, not just retrieve documents. This clip has since attracted more than 16 million views, reflecting the widespread interest and concern about this new feature.
Elon Musk expressed his disapproval
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk was among those who voiced their disapproval of the new tool. Likening it to an episode of Netflix's Black Mirror, Musk stated, "This is a Black Mirror episode. Definitely turning this 'feature' off." Other users echoed his sentiments, with one commenting, "Yeah, no thanks. Don't need to pay Microsoft a monthly fee to spy on me," while another expressed skepticism about the feature's functionality.
Microsoft responds to privacy concerns over Recall
In response to the growing concerns, Microsoft reassured users that their data would remain local. The company stated, "Your snapshots are yours; they stay locally on your PC. You can delete individual snapshots, adjust and delete ranges of time in Settings, or pause at any point right from the icon in the System Tray on your Taskbar." They emphasized that users have full control over their data with privacy they can trust.
