According to my sources, AI Explorer is the blockbuster AI experience that will separate AI PCs from non-AI PCs. It’s described as an “advanced Copilot” with a built-in history/timeline feature that turns everything you do on your computer into a searchable moment using natural language. It works across any app and allows users to search for previously opened conversations, documents, web pages, and images.
For example, you could type, “Find me that list of restaurants Jenna said she liked,” and Windows can bring up the exact conversation you were having when Jenna mentioned those restaurants. Even vague prompts should work, like “Find me that thing about dinosaurs,” Windows will pull up every word, phrase, image, and related topic about dinosaurs that you’ve previously opened on your computer.
The AI Explorer app can also understand context, help jumpstart projects or workflows, and even suggest tasks based on what’s currently on screen. For example, suppose you’re looking at an image in an app. In that case, the AI Explorer will automatically show an “edit image” button that lets you type out your criteria, such as “remove this image’s background using the Photos app.”
↫ Zac Bowden
Windows, for all your “AI” and ads.
Almost like it’s 2004 Longhorn era again!
When I read headlines like this, I hope that it’s to improve the experience and not just rush to push a new technology into the fold.
You sweet summer child.
Of course it’s a rush to push a new technology in.
Power users will disable it, basic users will use it and get frustrated by it. Those in between will be weirded out by it.
AI is a fad. Just like voice assistants were. And biometric authentication.
The123king,
I for one don’t think AI is going away. There may be some “let’s get on the AI bandwagon to take advantage of the hype”, and those things where AI doesn’t make sense will fade, but “AI is a fad” is an overstatement. AI is genuine productivity booster. and like the automated assembly line it won’t go away.
I never said AI was going to go away. Siri and Alexa are still alive. You can still buy pet rocks. Hula Hoops can still be found in toy stores around the globe.
Just because it’s a fad doesn’t mean it’ll just outright disappear. It just means it’s way overhyped, will be shoehorned into everything, and in 4/5 years time we’ll all be asking ourselves “what were we thinking?”
The123king,
I wouldn’t automatically classify voice assistants as AI. They behave a lot more like search engines and widgets that happen to have a vocal UI. These likely will incorporate much more AI in the future. AI are capability multipliers that will allow ordinary people to do very extraordinary things…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anmuklFtu8U
I accept your definition of fads, they don’t completely disappear but become more or an irrelevant curiosity or toy. However I think it is wrong to classify AI this way. I’d put crypto blockchains in this category. but AI is not a temporary fad, instead it will prove to be a critical tool with long lasting impacts. Maybe AI could be a fad in the same sense that industrial automation is a fad to the Amish. They would like to keep living as though society hasn’t been permanently changed, but this involves elements of denial.
I appreciate that lots of people currently share your view, Our editor Thom is outspoken on the anti-AI front, but frankly it’s not going to be him, you, or I who make these decisions. It’s going to be employers and owners who actually make the business decisions that affect all of us. Sure, we’ll have protestors and boycotts and whatnot, but the long term business models that don’t evolve and are less efficient will get crushed and left behind.
To reiterate an earlier point, I do acknowledge there is a bandwagon mentality around AI…there are those latching onto the hype for hype’s sake. However I don’t think we should place all AI advancements in this bucket. Many of the AI changes will happen without much fanfare, but still have a significant impact. While the specifics may be new, I suspect AI will follow the general trends of productivity gains we’ve seen in the past, both the good and the bad.
” It works across any app….”
Maybe I’m missing something here, but how is Windows magically able to access data stored in a non-standard format by “any app”?
My guess is this will work as they describe for Microsoft and “compatible” apps. But for all others (ie. the majority for many people), it will be far more limited.
/cynicism
Either that, or like when Edge was pulling in data from other browsers without the users’ prior consent, it will simply hoover up everything you do in every app on the computer and send it to Microsoft for analysis, consent be damned.
I suppose they will try to say you “consented” when you agreed to the ToS the first time you booted your new PC, but that will open up all kinds of liabilities for anyone or any company dealing with privileged client information (lawyers, doctors, etc).
This is a dark era for desktop computing with Windows, and it’s only going to get worse.
I guess we’ll see. From experience, the mess that is the Office-suite, I’m not holding my breath for the “works across any apps”-bit. Which is fine and dandy for now. I don’t want my information to be used in this way anyhow.
My thoughts are :
How will thiis suppossed “AI” Explorer work in a financial environment (ie: all machines are not Natted, must pass through a proxy server, before accessing the internet)?
If proxy and firewall rules must be pinholed, than for security/counterespionage-sake, AI is a nono.
That said, I see this as tinfoil for Gen Z, who are by and large complacent, and have not , inlarge been affected by ownership of your data, been raised in being under surveillance, and lack of privacy surrendered.
An amazing use of (locally running) AI would be to help organize a huge pile of files from various sources. Look at the pictures, listen to audio, watch the video, read the docs, and the work with the user to come up with a way to organize it all by asking questions and discussing options. Critically, it could also suggest deleting or archiving irrelevant stuff. I would pay good money for that. But instead, we get another way for MS to spy on users for ad targeting…
drstorm,
+1
I also feel local AI would be useful. Unfortunately modern tech companies have determined it is best to funnel functionality through their servers where they can monetize our data and/or charge subscriptions for.
As an example, samsung are introducing AI features for photo manipulation on their newer galaxy phones, which is cool, but…they’re transferring your data to their data centers so that they can charge a subscription fee in the future.
https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-plans-to-charge-for-certain-galaxy-ai-features-after-two-years
It absolutely sucks, but AI is coming of age in a time when corporations want to move OS features onto their servers so that owners can’t use their devices independently without spying/tracking/artificial service dependencies 🙁
Lemme guess, This supposed AI’s purpose will be there to disable ad blockers. LOL
“history/timeline feature that turns everything you do on your computer into a searchable moment”
That sounds like a privacy / OPSEC nightmare. I found out so many embarassing things about people over just based on recent / frequent activity “helpfully” leaked by their browser’s “new tab” page while they were screen sharing.