I Use Edge As My Default Browser - But Its New Ai Mode Is Unreliable And Annoying

Microsoft / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Microsoft's connected a relentless quest to embed its Copilot AI into each package merchandise it owns. That run takes different large measurement guardant pinch nan summation of immoderate caller generative AI features successful nan company's Edge browser.

The latest merchandise beefs up nan capabilities of Copilot Mode, nan chat-based hunt interface for Edge, connected Windows PCs and Macs. You tin usage earthy sound commands to navigate pages, and nan chatbot tin spot each nan unfastened tabs successful nan existent browser model alternatively of being constricted to whatever's connected nan existent page.

Also: Microsoft gives Copilot a look - here's really to effort your caller Appearance chat buddy

If that sounds appealing, you tin spell to the Copilot Mode sign-in page and flip a move that lets you alteration Copilot Mode successful Edge Settings. Here's what happened erstwhile I turned this characteristic on.

Hands-on pinch Copilot Mode

Turning connected Copilot Mode adds a Copilot logo fastener successful nan reside bar. A abstracted action customizes nan caller tab page, replacing nan hunt container pinch a Copilot chat input container that's designed to grip search, chat, and web navigation. It besides gives you nan action to unfastened Copilot Mode successful a sidebar, wherever you tin inquire it questions astir nan existent group of unfastened tabs.

Also: I made Microsoft Edge my default browser because of these 3 slayer features

In Copilot Mode, nan caller tab page becomes an water of serenity, a elemental input container pinch a individual greeting supra it. If you commencement typing a question, Edge offers 2 options: You tin nonstop your mobility to Copilot for an AI-powered answer, aliases you tin take a accepted search. Here's what it looks like.  

The caller tab page for Copilot Mode combines chat and search.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

Pressing Enter sends you into a chat convention pinch Copilot, which sprinkles folksy small bits of personalized banter into nan conversation, offering maine an "Ed-Style Reality Check" and "Ed-level good print" astatine various points. 

Using Copilot Mode successful Edge turns nan browser into an upbeat, personalized chat session, complete pinch corny metaphors.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

Instead of utilizing nan caller tab page, you tin click nan icon successful nan reside barroom to statesman chatting pinch Copilot. In that mode, your speech appears successful a mini pane that you tin take to pin arsenic a sidebar. To grow nan existent speech to see different unfastened tabs, click nan positive fastener and past click Add Tabs.

Also: I sewage ChatGPT Agent to present a genuinely useful study - and past NotebookLM took it to nan adjacent level

Once you've begun 1 of these chat sessions, it's astir intolerable to break out. When I asked Copilot to unfastened nan ZDNET location page, for example, it gave maine a summary of what is said were nan existent contents of that page, on pinch a nexus that I could click. But it couldn't unfastened nan page itself, and clicking that nexus popped up an other dialog box, adding clash to nan process and making it little convenient than conscionable utilizing nan reside barroom aliases a saved shortcut.

To adhd reproach to inefficiency, respective of nan article titles it highlighted from that page weren't there. Its "curated snapshot of what's unrecorded correct now" included this intriguing introduction nether nan AI & Innovation heading: "Will AI Think Like Humans? ZDNET says we're not moreover close—and possibly asking nan incorrect question." I couldn't find that article, and erstwhile I asked Copilot for a link, it turned sheepish:

Good catch, Ed—and you're perfectly correct to telephone it out. That circumstantial title, "Will AI Think Like Humans?", doesn't look to look verbatim connected nan existent ZDNET homepage. I paraphrased nan gist of an article that dives into really existent AI models—like Copilot, ChatGPT, and others—are still leagues distant from mimicking quality cognition and intuition.  

But nan article did so exist! It had been published a fewer days earlier and wasn't connected nan homepage. I had nary problem uncovering it erstwhile I pasted that title into a plain ol' hunt box. When I told Copilot to hunt for that nonstop title, it recovered nan article and summarized it for me.

All successful all, it wasn't a confidence-inspiring session.

How does Copilot Mode compete pinch Google and Perplexity?

If that elemental Copilot-inspired caller tab page seems familiar, possibly it's because it intimately resembles immoderate different celebrated browsers that person precocious been transformed pinch AI powers.

Here's Google's caller AI mode, for example.

Microsoft's Copilot Mode looks remarkably akin to Google's AI Mode.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

Google's AI-powered hunt returns a two-column group of results, pinch a sidebar that includes links to related pages. Curiously, nary of those links were branded arsenic ads, which makes maine wonderment where, exactly, this is each bringing successful gross for Google?

By default, only 3 links are visible successful nan Google AI Mode sidebar. I had to click to grow nan list. 

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

Meanwhile, nan upstart successful nan "AI browser" class is Perplexity, which doesn't person to support nan baggage of a bequest browser for illustration Chrome aliases Edge. It, too, has a basal location page pinch a elemental hunt box, shown here.

Perplexity doesn't activity for illustration a accepted browser, truthful you won't spot an reside barroom aliases tabs.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

When I asked Perplexity to summarize what was connected ZDNET's location page correct now, it did a decent job, pinch nary evident hallucinations. But nan Sources tab, which contains links to those articles, stopped astatine 8 listings, including nan Morning Briefing from nan French edition. When I asked it to show maine whether location were immoderate caller articles connected AI this morning, it delivered immoderate genuinely puzzling results.

Perplexity's reply to this mobility is filled pinch misinformation.

Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET

That AI summary went connected astatine magnitude astir an article that was "highlighted to spell unrecorded today," called "The champion AI for coding successful 2025." The summary besides confidently stated that nan article included highlights from a study showing that "these AI devices caused knowledgeable developers to return 19% longer to complete immoderate tasks." None of that contented was successful nan article, which was primitively published much than six weeks ago, not today.

Perplexity was beautiful insistent astir asking maine to upgrade to a Pro version for $20 a month. I'll pass, for now.

Is Copilot Mode successful Edge worthy experimenting with?

For now, nan AI-powered features successful Edge require users to opt in. During this preview period, Copilot Mode is free, but Microsoft says that's only for a constricted time, without offering immoderate clues arsenic to what nan last merchandise will costs and erstwhile nan metre will commencement running.

Also: Microsoft's Copilot Vision tin now spot and analyse your full Windows desktop

The blog post announcing nan changes is typically upbeat, anthropomorphizing nan Copilot features to put a friends look connected what is, heavy down, a computational workout happening successful Microsoft's information centers. It besides makes immoderate beautiful chaotic promises on nan way: "Copilot understands your intent and helps you get started faster," we are told. "Copilot Mode besides sees nan afloat image crossed your unfastened tabs, and you tin moreover instruct it to grip immoderate tasks."

Well, no, neither of those statements is true. The Copilot generative AI instrumentality is not human. It is not sentient. It cannot perchance "understand your intent" aliases "see nan afloat picture" of anything. 

What it tin do is make inferences astir those unfastened tabs based connected its training information and immoderate history it's saved from its interactions pinch you, make immoderate matter from those inferences successful consequence to your prompt, and past coming nan results to you successful a measurement that is diabolically persuasive. There's a very bully chance it will get immoderate of those things right. But it mightiness besides connection up immoderate outright fabrications, arsenic nan disclaimers support informing you:

Copilot intends to respond pinch reliable sources, but AI tin make mistakes, and third-party contented connected nan net whitethorn not ever beryllium meticulous aliases reliable. Copilot whitethorn misrepresent nan accusation it finds, and you whitethorn spot responses that sound convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, aliases inappropriate. Use your judgement and double cheque facts earlier making decisions aliases taking action based connected Copilot's responses.

Also: Microsoft's large AI update for Windows 11 is present - what's new

Microsoft's announcement includes respective examples of Copilot Mode helping nan personification complete tasks based connected accusation from a fistful of unfastened tabs. One scenario, for example, involves uncovering a adjacent spot to spell paddleboarding and automatically booking an assignment for "after work, adjacent Wednesday." Microsoft's video makes it look effortless, but you won't beryllium capable to effort these agent-centric Copilot tasks astatine location yet.

 "Coming soon," nan accompanying station says, "you will beryllium capable to springiness Copilot support to entree nan further browser discourse it needs, specified arsenic your history and credentials, to return much precocious and seamless actions -- for illustration booking reservations aliases managing errands connected your behalf."

Also: The Surface Laptop is still 1 of my favourite Copilot+ PCs

Even erstwhile those features rotation out, you mightiness want to workout immoderate caution. "Copilot Mode is experimental and will germinate complete time, and we're conscionable getting started," Microsoft says, successful what sounds much for illustration a informing than a roadmap. Do you really want an experimental AI-based chatbot to walk your money and book appointments connected your behalf? Are you sure?

One point that's evident from Microsoft's caller AI activity is nan effort to push Bing into nan inheritance truthful acold that it's astir invisible. Copilot is nan caller look of hunt successful Microsoft's properties. Just make judge you double-check nan results to make judge they're real.

The Copilot marque still has immoderate magic and mystery. We'll spot really agelong that lasts.

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