Windows 11 Copilot: The Ultimate Guide for New Zealand Businesses
The arrival of Windows 11 AI Copilot is undoubtedly one of the most monumental advancements in AI this year. (I don't say that lightly, as a long term fanboy of Apple products and operating systems)
Please note: As of June 2023, the Windows Co-Pilot feature is scheduled for release in upcoming Windows 11 preview builds. At the time of writing, it is not yet publicly available.
Windows 11, won't simply be an iterative revamp from Windows 10.
We're talking about a significant stride forward in terms of functionality, performance, and user experience.
And without doubt, the most exciting aspects of Windows 11 is its seamless integration of AI at the very heart of the operating system, marking its distinction as the first PC platform equipped with centralized AI assistance.
Windows Copilot is the name of this AI personal assistant that will soon be helping tens of millions Windows users around the world with various tasks, such as summarizing, rewriting, and explaining content, automating your computer, and enhancing your security.
In this article, I dive deep into Windows Copilot and show you how it is about to make life easier and more enjoyable on Windows 11 for thousands of New Zealand businesses using the Microsoft products.
The Power of AI in Windows 11
AI is the defining technology of our time, and it has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of our lives. Unbeknownst to most, Microsoft has been at the forefront of AI research and development for decades, and it has applied its expertise to Windows 11.
Windows 11 is designed to be an intelligent operating system that can adapt to your needs and preferences, learn from your behavior, and provide personalized recommendations and suggestions. Windows 11 also leverages the power of cloud computing and large language models to deliver fast and accurate results.
But the most significant way that Windows 11 showcases its AI capabilities is through Windows Copilot, a new feature that makes Windows 11 the first PC platform with centralized AI assistance. Windows Copilot is much more than just a dialog box or a voice assistant. It is a smart companion that can help you with various tasks across different applications and scenarios.
Windows Copilot: Your AI Personal Assistant
If you’re a New Zealand business based around Windows products, Windows Copilot in Windows 11 will soon be helping your employees with untold numbers of daily tasks; such as summarizing, rewriting, and explaining content, just to name a few use cases to scratch the surface.
Windows Copilot will also help you with other common tasks, such as copying and pasting, snapping windows, snipping screenshots, and personalizing your settings.
Windows Copilot is powered by Bing Chat (which itself is built upon GPT-4), Microsoft's conversational AI platform that can understand natural language and provide relevant responses.
Windows Copilot won't simply be a passive assistant that waits for your commands. It will also proactively offer suggestions and recommendations based on your current work context.
For example, if you are writing an email repsonse, Windows Copilot will suggest possible replies or attachments. If you are browsing the web, Windows Copilot will summarize the main points of an article or provide additional information on a topic.
Windows Copilot will also not just be limited to Microsoft's own applications. It will work with any application that supports plugins or extensions. This means that you will use Windows Copilot with your favorite apps, such as Spotify, Netflix, or Zoom.
Windows Copilot is different from other dialog boxes or voice assistants in several ways…
First, it is more interactive and conversational than a typical dialog box. You will ask questions or give feedback to Windows Copilot using natural language. Second, it is more integrated and consistent than a typical voice assistant. You will access Windows Copilot anytime, anywhere on your PC using the taskbar button or a keyboard shortcut. You won't need to switch apps or windows to use Windows Copilot.
Building AI into Windows 11
Microsoft has been investing heavily in AI research and development for decades. It has built one of the largest AI infrastructures in the world, spanning across cloud services, data centers, devices, and software platforms.
One of the key components of Microsoft's AI infrastructure is Azure Machine Learning (AML), a cloud-based service that enables developers to build, train, deploy, and manage machine learning models at scale.
Windows Co-Pilot has been built upon GPT-4, which was developed by OpenAI and has turned the AI world upside down since its release several months ago.
By leveraging the power of GPT-4, cloud computing and AML, Windows 11 will deliver fast and accurate results for a vast multitude of tasks across different applications and scenarios.
How To Use Windows Copilot
To access Windows Copilot, you will just need to click on the taskbar button or press Win + C on your keyboard. This will open the Windows Copilot sidebar on the right side of your screen. The sidebar will stay consistent across your apps, programs, and windows, always available to act as your personal assistant.
The sidebar consists of three main sections:
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The input box: This is where you will type or speak your query or command to Windows Copilot using natural language. You will also use keywords or phrases to trigger specific actions or plugins. For example, you could type "summarize" to get a summary of the content on your screen, or "Spotify" to launch the Spotify plugin and play music.
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The output box: This is where you will see the response or result from Windows Copilot based on your input. The response or result may be in various formats, such as text, image, audio, video, or link. You will also interact with the output box by clicking on buttons, sliders, or checkboxes to provide feedback or modify settings.
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The plugin list: This is where you will see the available plugins that you can use with Windows Copilot. Plugins are extensions or integrations of third-party apps or services that enhance the functionality and usability of Windows Copilot. For example, you may use the Spotify plugin to play music, the Netflix plugin to watch movies, or the Zoom plugin to join meetings.
It will also be possible to create your own plugins using Bing Chat SDK (software development kit) and publish them on Microsoft Store. This announcement in and of itself probably deserves a whole article dedicated to it. The amazing thing here is that Bing Chat SDK aims to allow everyone (not just those who can code) to build plugins for Windows Co-Pilot, simply through prompts using plain English.
An AI Agent to Automate Your Computer
One of the main benefits of using Windows Copilot will be that it will automate many tasks on your computer.
Windows Copilot will perform actions across different applications and scenarios, such as copying and pasting, snapping windows, snipping screenshots, personalizing settings, and more.
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For example, if you want to copy some text from one app to another, you won't need to use Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V keys. You'll just need to select the text and say "copy" to Windows Copilot. Then switch to another app and say "paste" to Windows Copilot. The text will be copied automatically.
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If you want to snap two windows side by side on your screen, you won't need to drag them manually. You'll just need to say "snap left" or "snap right" to Windows Copilot. The windows will be snapped automatically.
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If you want to take a screenshot of something on your screen, you won't need to use the PrtScn key or the Snipping Tool app. You'll just need to say "snip" to Windows Copilot. The screenshot will be taken automatically.
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If you want to change some settings on your computer, such as brightness, volume, or wallpaper, you won't need to go through menus or dialogs. You'll just need to say "change" followed by the setting name to Windows Copilot. The setting will be changed automatically.
Windows Copilot wll also perform more complex tasks, such as creating documents, sending emails, booking flights, or ordering food.
All you will need to do is ask Copilot what you want to do and provide some details. Copilot will then generate the content or action for you, or guide you through the steps if you need more help. You will also be able to edit or refine the results as you wish.
Windows Copilot will be like having a personal assistant that can handle many, many tasks for you with ease and efficiency.
Microsoft Security Copilot
For businesses which prioritize data security highly (which should be all of us) Microsoft Security Copilot will also help security analysts deal with cyberattacks faster and more effectively.
It will use two large language models to do this: OpenAI's GPT-4, and Microsoft's own security model, which has specialized security skills and knowledge.
Microsoft Security Copilot will perform various security tasks, such as detecting and assessing an ongoing attack, processing signals and alerts, providing clear and actionable insights from multiple data sources, and giving step-by-step instructions for mitigating risks.
It will also alert analysts of any suspicious or anomalous activity on their network or devices and provide regular reports and summaries of their security status and performance.
Microsoft Security Copilot will be easily accessed by saying "security" to Windows Copilot, which will open a sidebar on the right side of the screen where analysts will interact with the tool using natural language.
Microsoft Security Copilot will also work well with other security products and services from Microsoft and third parties, using APIs or plugins to integrate with them. Microsoft Security Copilot is a game-changer for security professionals who want to defend their organizations at machine speed and scale. It is also a great example of how AI can empower humans to do more and achieve more.
FAQ Section
At this stage, it’s likely you’ll have a few questions that are buzzing around in your head about Windows Co-Pilot. Let me try to front foot some of them for you…
How will I enable Windows Copilot?
Windows Copilot will be a new feature in Windows 11 that will soon be available for preview. To enable Windows Copilot, you need to join the Windows Insider Program and install the latest build of Windows 11. You will also need to sign in with your Microsoft account and enable Bing Chat in your settings.
How can I download Windows Copilot?
Windows Copilot will not be a separate app that you'll need to download. It will be a built-in feature in Windows 11 that you can access anytime, anywhere on your PC using the taskbar button or a keyboard shortcut (Win + C).
How will I use Windows Copilot in Word?
Windows Copilot will help you with various tasks in Word, such as summarizing, rewriting, and explaining content. To use Windows Copilot in Word, you'll just need to open Word and click on the taskbar button or press Win + C on your keyboard. This will open the Windows Copilot sidebar on the right side of your screen. You will then type or speak your query or command to Windows Copilot using natural language. For example, you could say "summarize this paragraph" or "rewrite this sentence". Windows Copilot will then generate a response or result based on your input.
What's the difference between Windows Co-Pilot and Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot?
Windows Co-Pilot and Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot (also not released to the public yet) will be different products that will have some similarities and differences. Here are some of the main differences:
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Windows Co-Pilot will be a feature of Windows 11, while Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot will be a product that works with Microsoft 365 apps and services.
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Windows Co-Pilot will be available to all Windows 11 users, while Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot will only be available to enterprise customers who have a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 subscription.
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Windows Co-Pilot will use ChatGPT-4 as the underlying large language model, while Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot uses a different model that is fine-tuned for Microsoft 365 scenarios.
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Windows Co-Pilot will help you with various tasks across your device, such as changing settings, opening apps, or creating documents. Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot will help you with specific tasks related to Microsoft 365 apps and services, such as scheduling meetings, creating presentations, or finding information.
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Windows Co-Pilot will be invoked by clicking the button on the taskbar, while Microsoft 365 Co-Pilot will be invoked by saying “Hey Copilot” or clicking the microphone icon in any Microsoft 365 app.
Conclusion
Windows 11 will be the most intelligent operating system ever created by Microsoft. It integrates AI into the core of the platform, making it the first PC platform with centralized AI assistance.
For New Zealand businesses that run on Microsoft’s suite of products, Windows 11 and Windows Copilot are the future of productivity and innovation on PC.
We are now a far cry from the annoying days of “Clippy” who infamously caused more frustration than assistance to Windows users in their release of Office 97!
Windows Co-Pilot is designed to empower you to do more and achieve more with less effort and more fun.
If you want to experience the power of AI in Windows 11 as soon as possible, I recommend you join the Windows Insider Program and install the latest build of Windows 11.
You can also learn more about Windows 11 and Windows Copilot on Microsoft's official announcement on AI in Windows 11, or read The Verge's detailed review of Windows Copilot. You can also visit [Microsoft's Security Copilot page for more information on how to enhance your security with AI.
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