Microsoft's Latest Copilot Feature Drop Is Here - And It's Massive

3 weeks ago

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Copilot adds group chats, a 'real talk' option, and an optional animated character.
You tin link Copilot to outer services to hunt email and almanac events.
Copilot for Health promises 'credible' results from trusted sources.

If you had immoderate uncertainty astir Microsoft's volition to insert its AI-powered Copilot features into each area of its merchandise line, today's monolithic Copilot Fall Release should alteration your mind.

In a buzzword-heavy blog post that sounds suspiciously for illustration it was written pinch a dense assistance from Copilot, Microsoft announced 12 caller features designed to grow its footprint successful nan AI marketplace and reside immoderate criticisms of its signature chatbot.

'Real talk' pinch a animation character

Starting today, Copilot conversations -- whether done sound aliases keyboard -- will reportedly go little cloying and sycophantic than nan existent iteration, acknowledgment to a caller "real talk" characteristic that Microsoft claims will situation your assumptions and "adapt to your vibe."

In this merchandise we're adding features to make Copilot much individual and much adaptable to your needs and style, while holding existent to our marque values. Copilot is designed to beryllium empathetic and supportive, not sycophantic. It will push backmost connected you sometimes, but ever respectfully. This is AI that listens. That learns. That earns your trust.

And for those who person been dreaming of nan time that Clippy returns, nan hold is over. Copilot chats tin beryllium accompanied by an "optional ocular presence" -- a called Mico (short for Microsoft Copilot, and pictured above) that "listens, reacts, and moreover changes colors to bespeak your interactions ... Mico shows support done animation and expressions, creating a friends and engaging experience."

Also: The champion free AI courses and certificates successful 2025 - and I've tried them all

You tin besides adhd friends and co-workers to a chat, opening today. With nan Groups feature, Microsoft says, a personification tin commencement a convention and past nonstop a nexus to induce different group -- up to 32 successful each -- to collaborate successful real-time. The multi-user characteristic includes nan expertise to summarize threads, propose options, support way of votes, and delegate tasks.

Learn Live turns nan chatbot acquisition into an acquisition instrumentality -- a "voice-enabled, Socratic tutor that guides you done concepts alternatively of conscionable giving answers. It uses questions, ocular cues, and interactive whiteboards," Microsoft says.

Those 4 features are disposable successful nan US only and are unrecorded today.

Paging Doctor Copilot

The astir arguable summation to this fall's characteristic driblet is billed arsenic "Copilot for health." Encouraging customers to inquire for aesculapian proposal is simply a bold, moreover risky move for a merchandise that has been known to dress up answers and routinely includes a "Copilot whitethorn make mistakes" disclaimer pinch each interaction.

To woody pinch that concern, Microsoft says it's worked connected tying health-related questions to "credible sources for illustration Harvard Health." The characteristic tin besides reportedly thief you "find nan correct doctors quickly and confidently, matching based connected specialty, location, language, and different preferences."

Copilot for wellness is disposable only successful nan US, connected nan web and successful nan iOS Copilot app.

Expanding Copilot's reach

The Connectors feature, which is rolling retired gradually, will let you to link a Copilot convention to outer services, truthful you tin usage earthy connection to hunt for documents, email threads, and almanac events. In summation to Microsoft's ain OneDrive and Outlook, Microsoft says support will beryllium disposable for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar.

Other enhancements to nan halfway Copilot chat features see Memory & Personalization, which allows Copilot to reference past conversations and shop important accusation truthful you tin callback it successful early interactions. Microsoft says you'll beryllium capable to edit, update, aliases delete these memories astatine immoderate time.

Also: Windows 11 AI agents will enactment connected your behalf - really overmuch tin you spot them?

A related feature, Proactive Actions, will let Copilot to "suggest adjacent steps based connected your caller activity aliases investigation threads." It's presently disposable arsenic a preview and requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Copilot Pages tin now grip aggregate record uploads -- up to 20 files successful a assortment of document, image, and matter formats, and an Imagine sheet promises to "explore and remix AI-generated ideas successful a collaborative space," immoderate that means.

Copilot Mode successful Edge allows entree to nan Copilot Actions characteristic that Microsoft introduced earlier this year, pinch a fewer enhancements. By turning connected nan Journeys feature, you tin reportedly return to erstwhile interactions and tasks without having to commencement over. And nan browser-based Copilot tin activity pinch each unfastened tabs successful nan browser model alternatively of being restricted to conscionable nan existent tab.

Copilot Search reportedly "combines AI-generated answers pinch accepted results successful 1 view, providing clear, cited responses for faster and much trustworthy discovery." Whether it will amended connected nan existent messiness of hunt results pinch an AI summary astatine nan apical remains to beryllium seen.