Windows 11's debated AI component reappears, guaranteeing an insecure system forevermore
Rewritten Article:
Did ya miss Microsoft's Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs? Well, it's back with a vengeance, touting more AI than ever before! And guess what? Soon, most Windows 11 laptops will give you a chance to dive into Microsoft's auto-screenshotting, "photographic memory" feature, or, if it ain't your thing, you can desperately try to delete it.
But worry not, Microsoft is making strides to improve your OS experience with a revamped, contextual Windows Search function. This baby has been in beta testing for a few months now, but soon, it'll officially land on your lappy. In a blog post, Microsoft spilled the beans about what's changed, and what's stayed the same, compared to what they showed us back in May.
Microsoft's Recall feature keeps taking screenshots of your computer activities. AI interprets those screenshots, allowing you to search through them to find that one elusive website or document you can’t seem to recall. Unlike before, this updated version requires a Windows Hello biometric or PIN login every time you want access to your screen grabs. Microsoft assures us these features will be rolled out to everyone within the next month.
You think screenshot-crazed Recall ain't your cup of tea? Microsoft hopes you may be swayed by a few other AI features coming to Windows 11. The most appealing for most users is the improved Windows search. With the update, the search function should be better at understanding what you're looking for, even if you enter vague or conversational text. For example, if you search "mountains" from your desktop, it should pull up a slideshow of family photos from your files.
Another buzzworthy feature is Click to Do. It's like the right-click on a Mac or Gemini on a Chromebook, but the gist is by hitting the Windows key + mouse click, it lets users access writing summaries, rewriting for text, or visual searches on Bing, blur photo backgrounds, or erase objects in an image with a Magic Eraser-like tool through the Photos app, all without needing to hop to a separate app. This differs from the Copilot key, which normally displays the Copilot app for Microsoft's AI chatbot.
Are these features groundbreaking? Nah, but they might be useful to some. But remember, they're not exactly the thing that sells a new laptop as an "AI PC".
Recall, Microsoft's auto-screenshotting feature, got the boot last year, just a month after the company unveiled it at its 2024 Build developer conference. Security researchers raised a stink, claiming the feature could scrape sensitive info like bank or social security numbers. It didn't take long for experts to dish out the warning about glaring holes in the software, leaving personal activity, emails, passwords, and more vulnerable to prying eyes.
Though Microsoft's made adjustments to mitigate concerns, Recall will never be a foolproof system. Security bloggers have warned that if you send sensitive info to someone else's PC running Recall, it may also suck it up. The AI might also fail to avoid screenshotting your checking account number if you're not working on any protected webpage or app. As a result, Recall will likely continue to be a topic of controversy, even with most users opting out of it.
- The revamped Windows Search function, an upcoming feature in Microsoft's Windows 11, is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance its understanding of user queries, potentially displaying family photos of mountains in response to a desktop search.
- In the realm of technology, Microsoft's tech blog recently highlighted Click to Do, a new feature that aims to transform the right-click experience, enabling users to access various AI tools like text rewriting, visual searches, and image edits without switching to separate apps.
- Regarding the future of technology, the controversy surrounding Microsoft's Recall feature, an AI-powered auto-screenshotting tool, persists, as it may still inadvertently capture sensitive information like bank or social security numbers due to its limitations in precision and security.
