In the lead-up to CES on Jan 9, Microsoft has announced that a new Copilot key will appear on Windows PC keyboards starting this year — but stopped short of confirming it’s coming to its Surface line of tablets and laptops for now.
For those unaware, Copilot is Microsoft’s take on AI. Since coming to Windows 11 in September 2023, it has enabled users to ask the assistant to look up queries, switch on certain system settings like Magnifier mode, and much more.
The company is aggressively pushing Copilot to be used in as many places as possible — it’s clearly confident in what AI is capable of. You can now use Copilot on your iPhone and iPad for example, now the app is available on the App Store.
In a blog post announcing the Copilot key, this enthusiasm is only further proved. “We are energized by the stories that have been shared on how Copilot has inspired and empowered people across the last year – and we know our work is never done in our relentless pursuit to continue to innovate on behalf of our customers.”
With Apple rumored to be working on its own AI model for Siri, perhaps the Siri key on Mac keyboards could finally become useful if Apple’s assistant sees some improvements later this year.
Expect to see Copilot in even more places soon — iMore’s take
In the three years of having a MacBook Pro, I’ve never used the Siri key on its keyboard. You can find it on the F5 key, and it feels like an afterthought, especially due to Siri’s unreliability in coming up with accurate answers to queries. Yet it makes sense for a Copilot key to be on Windows PC keyboards — if something works well, you make sure that it’s as easy as possible to access it.
I’ve been using Copilot on my iPhone since the app was released, and I’ve constantly been impressed by the results it’s brought me. Whether it’s a generated image of Sonic making an omelet, or a rewrite of the movie Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, I’ve never felt like I’ve had to be very specific when asking Copilot a question.
Microsoft’s blog post is full of confidence, but also lets the reader know, with some drama, that this new key is a big deal. “The introduction of the Copilot key marks the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades. We believe it will empower people to participate in the AI transformation more easily.”
So, based on the tone of this post, I’m expecting to see Copilot in even more places soon — from smart speakers to smart fridges, the potential is huge. I’m excited to see where this AI goes this year, and hopefully, there may come a time when I can replace my F5 key with Copilot.
