Microsoft has announced “Copilot Plus PCs”, a new category of thin and light ARM-based notebook laptops with artificial intelligence (AI) at the helm. Redmond is specifically pushing for on-device AI on these devices. One of the features it is debuting is “Recall”, that allows Windows to basically remember what you did on your PC. Microsoft in fact goes so far as to call it “photographic memory” and while we’re yet to see it in action in the real world, already, people are starting to freak out and not in a good way either.
Apparently, Elon Musk isn’t very happy about Microsoft’s new Recall Windows feature. Quoting a snippet from a Wall Street Journal video report where Microsoft chief Satya Nadella is seen explaining the nuances of the feature, Musk said it seemed like a Black Mirror episode. For those unaware, Black Mirror is a Netflix original about a dystopian future where people are shown grappling with the effects of cutting-edge technology in their lives.
Musk’s immediate response to it— “Definitely turning this “feature” off.”
The new “Recall” feature allows users to access nearly everything they’ve seen or done on their PC. Copilot Plus PCs can organise this information based on each user’s unique experiences, helping them remember and find what they’re looking for quickly and intuitively using familiar cues. Microsoft says that Recall uses a personal semantic index, which is built and stored entirely on the device, ensuring that snapshots remain local and under user control.
Users can manage these snapshots by deleting individual ones or adjusting specific time ranges through the Settings menu. Additionally, Recall can be paused at any time from the System Tray icon on the Taskbar. Users can also filter out specific apps and websites from being saved, giving them further control over what information is stored.
