Microsoft’s AI Boss Wants Copilot to Bring ‘Emotional Support’ to Windows and Office
WiredSep 18
Microsoft Says It's Developing 'Ever Present' AI Assistant
Above: An ASUS Vivobook S 15 laptop with Microsoft Copilot+ PC at a Best Buy store in Union City, California on, June 18, 2024. Image copyright: David Paul Morris/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
Microsoft's artificial intelligence (AI) chief Mustafa Suleyman said the company is developing "ever present, persistent, [and] very capable" versions of its product Copilot, which is an AI personal assistant.
He said that besides helping users keep up with daily schedules, Copilot will also be able to remember things like favorite dining spots or the last book a user talked about — arguing that it will encourage people to trust AI with their personal information.
The Spin
Narrative A
Microsoft is changing the virtual assistant game — not only does it have remarkably advanced long-term memory, decision-making, and reasoning skills, but it's able to utilize these capabilities in real time with its human users. AI assistants will soon know what users want before it's asked — establishing an unprecedentedly efficient work life.
Narrative B
Before we jump on the AI assistant bandwagon, we must consider the serious risks. AI assistants are built to monitor, record, and analyze every minute of daily life, but they can't distinguish between sensitive and nonsensitive topics. This has already led to uncomfortable in-office data leaks, with more to come if consumers simply hand over private information to these products.