To mark its 50th anniversary, Microsoft has given its AI assistant, Copilot, a major upgrade — and it’s now smarter and more hands-on than ever.
Copilot can now take real actions on most websites, according to Microsoft. That means you can ask it to book tickets, reserve a table at a restaurant, or even send flowers — and it’ll try to get it done for you. This agent-like ability puts Copilot in the same league as tools like OpenAI’s Operator.
The AI has also gained memory features, similar to ChatGPT, allowing it to remember your preferences — like your favorite foods, movies, or recurring tasks — and use that info to offer personalized recommendations and reminders. You can view, delete, or opt out of this memory feature via a user dashboard.
Another standout upgrade is Copilot’s new ability to interpret real-time video. On Android and iOS devices, it can now “see” through your phone’s camera or photo gallery and answer questions about what it observes — like identifying a flower or giving feedback on a room layout.
On the desktop side, Copilot’s Windows app has been revamped to interact with your screen. It can search, tweak settings, organize files, and more — starting with the Windows Insider Program next week.
Microsoft has also partnered with services like Expedia, Booking.com, Kayak, OpenTable, Skyscanner, and Tripadvisor for launch-day functionality, allowing Copilot to act directly on those platforms. For instance, say “find me a cheap flight to Goa,” and it’ll search, compare, and even notify you when prices drop.
Some other key features rolling out include:
- Podcast-style audio summaries: Copilot can now generate audio dialogues that summarize articles or studies, and you can interrupt the conversation with questions — just like Google’s NotebookLM.
- Pages: A new canvas-style feature that lets you gather and organize notes, sources, and research — inspired by ChatGPT Canvas and Claude’s Artifacts.
- Deep Research: Ask complex questions, and Copilot will dig through documents, images, and online sources to compile detailed answers.
While these upgrades sound promising, Microsoft hasn’t shared much about how these features are implemented or what limitations exist. It’s also unclear how websites might respond — some could block Copilot’s actions, especially if they rely on ad revenue from direct visitors.
Still, with Copilot now acting more like a personal agent than just a chatbot, Microsoft is positioning itself to compete more aggressively with ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
And if the idea of an AI that remembers your habits or peeks at your desktop raises concerns, Microsoft assures users that privacy settings give you full control.
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