Microsoft Corp. is set to make the first change in decades to personal computer keyboards with the addition of its Copilot AI key.
Microsoft’s Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, Yusuf Mehdi, announced this in a blog post on Thursday. According to him, the first set of devices to sport the new key will be available this month.
The Microsoft VP noted that the infusion of AI into computers would not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it.
The year of AI PC
Announcing the introduction of the new AI key to PC keyboards, the Microsoft VP said:
- “Today, we are excited to take the next significant step forward and introduce the Copilot key to Windows 11 PCs. In this new year, we will be ushering in a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system to the silicon, to the hardware.
- “This will not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it, making 2024 the year of the AI PC.”
- “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. The Copilot key joins the Windows key as a core part of the PC keyboard and when pressed, the new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day-to-day.
- “Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard which enabled people all over the world to interact with Windows. We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC,” Mehdi added.
What you should know
The Copilot key, which will sit to the right of the space bar, is the first change to the Windows keyboard layout since Microsoft added the Windows/Start key in 1994, underscoring the company’s commitment to artificial intelligence.
Microsoft’s hardware partners will show off Windows 11 computers with the Copilot button over the coming days at the CES technology conference and, over time, it will become a required feature.
The shortcut will help users create images, write emails, and summarize text with the help of AI.