In what feels like something of a case of history repeating itself - Cortana, anyone? - Microsoft is furnishing Windows users with voice activated access to the operating system's digital assistant.
While being able to call up the AI powers of Copilot by uttering Hey Copilot to your computer may not seem revolutionary, Microsoft has a different idea. The company says that it sees a "shift to conversational input [being] as transformative as the mouse and keyboard in terms of unlocking new capabilities on the PC for the broadest set of people.
Microsoft believes that the ways users have been forced to access Copilot up until now have proved to be barriers. The introduction of voice activation is, the company believes, a way to break down these barriers and improve accessibility.
The magic unlock with Copilot Voice and Copilot Vision is the ease of interaction. Using the new wake word, "Hey Copilot," getting something done is as easy as just asking for it. And with your permission, Copilot Vision can analyze what's on your screen helping you learn new apps, get recommendations for a project or show you how to do it. Since its initial release, early adopters of Copilot Vision have inspired us with their creative use cases, from troubleshooting settings, to getting step by step guidance, and even learning complex editing tools.
Voice control and diction have been options for quite some time, but Microsoft is of the opinion that a new era of voice access is now upon us. Announcing the latest updates, the company says:
People are already talking at their PCs every day for dictation and note taking, transcriptions, searching, and with important accessibility features like Voice access and Voice typing. Now, your PC can understand you. We're seeing that when people use voice, they engage with Copilot twice as much as when they use text. This ease of use leads to deeper engagement within Copilot.
New wake and goodbye words make it even easier to use, which are generally available for Windows 11 PCs. This opt-in feature gives people a new way to easily start a conversation with Copilot Voice, anytime the feature is enabled.
To get started, enable "Hey, Copilot" in the Settings of your Copilot app, then simply ask a question starting with "Hey, Copilot...". You'll see the Copilot microphone appear on your screen, along with a chime to indicate that Copilot is listening.
To end a conversation, you can say "Goodbye", tap 'X' or Copilot will end the conversation automatically after a few seconds of no interaction. You will hear a chime confirming that the conversation has ended.
To help make Copilot more useful, Copilot Vision is being made available to all users of Copilot as well as adding a new Ask Copilot button on the taskbar. Microsoft says that it wants to "make the taskbar a dynamic hub that helps you accomplish more with less effort, transforming everyday interactions into moments of productivity and delight".