AI push: Microsoft announces Copilot key for Windows keyboards
Microsoft is shaking things up with a new Copilot key for Windows keyboards, the first major layout change in almost three decades. This key will grant users easy access to Microsoft's AI-driven Windows Copilot experience. Yusuf Mehdi, a top executive at Microsoft, said, "We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC."
Copilot key replaces Alt button
Replacing the old menu key, the Copilot key will be situated beside the right-hand Alt key on most keyboards, though its location may vary by manufacturer and market. This key activates the Windows Copilot feature in Windows 11, which includes a ChatGPT-like chatbot capable of answering questions and even performing tasks within Windows.
Availability and integration of Copilot Key
Microsoft is yet to reveal which manufacturers will incorporate the Copilot key, but we can expect announcements at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show and beyond. Mehdi shared that the key would debut on new Windows 11 PCs from ecosystem partners, with availability starting later this month, including on future Surface devices. Rumor has it that new Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 models will launch later this year.
Microsoft's AI push and future plans
The Copilot key's introduction is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to integrate AI into its products throughout 2024. Mehdi explained, "In this new year, we will be ushering in a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system, to the silicon, to the hardware." Microsoft is developing a Windows "refresh" centered on new AI features and has already dubbed Microsoft Edge as the "AI browser."
