Microsoft will test Copilot Actions and Manus in Windows 11

on tuesday Microsoft It stopped supporting Windows 10, the operating system it introduced 10 years ago.

The software company is encouraging people to upgrade their PCs with a number of AI features it will test in Windows 11, the successor to Windows 10.

Those who join both the Windows Insider Program and the Copilot Labs group to try out AI experiments will gain access to an updated Copilot companion app in Windows 11 that can use desktop and web apps to complete certain tasks, such as resizing photos, with locally stored files.

Or maybe someone could tell Copilot to put all available Brian Eno songs into a folder. Spotify The playlist and assistant feature push play, Microsoft’s consumer marketing chief Yusuf Mehdi told reporters at a briefing.

anthropic, Google and OpenAI have all developed AI models known as: agents using computers Accepting people’s directives to perform actions in multiple steps that involve typing and clicking.

Microsoft has brought the technology to corporate workers who create AI agents, and consumers with a premium subscription can try out its computing agent called Copilot Actions. The software company is now planning a variant for Windows 11.

Copilot Actions will be turned off by default. If enabled, it will run in a closed environment with its own desktop, Microsoft said. People can watch the software run step by step and take over at any time, but they are free to do other things on their computers while the work continues in the background.

“You may find that the agent makes mistakes or encounters difficulties with complex interfaces, so real-world testing of this experience is crucial to help us apply what we have learned to make this experience more capable and fluid,” Mehdi wrote in a blog post.

This is the kind of thing that could help Microsoft capture the attention of people it has today. Apple’s Working Mac computers or Chromebooks Google’s Chrome operating system. In the second quarter, Microsoft generated $4.3 billion in Windows and device revenue, up just 2.5% from last year.

Windows 11 launched in 2021 and moved the Start button and app icons to the center of the taskbar at the bottom of the screen instead of the traditional left side. In July, the new operating system became more popular than Windows 10 for the first time, according to data from web analytics software maker Statcounter. Data showed that Microsoft controlled 72% of the operating system market share in September.

Microsoft wants to proceed with caution when implementing Copilot Actions. During preview, the feature will only work with public folders such as the desktop, documents, downloads, or images, and people will need to approve the use of data elsewhere on their computers.

Those enrolled in the Windows Insider Program will be the first to test an action in Windows 11 File Explorer that leverages technology from Singaporean startup Manus. People can right-click on a file and click “Create website with Manus.”

Windows Insiders will also have the ability to ask Copilot to analyze what’s on the screen via chat messages. Until now, people could only interact with this Copilot Vision feature by speaking out loud.

Finally, Microsoft plans to provide a redesigned shortcut to Copilot directly to the right of the Start button. The new widget will include buttons that activate Copilot Vision or voice AI conversations with one click. Alternatively, people can summon the assistant by saying “Hey Copilot.”

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