Microsoft could boost Edge browser’s autofill game by using AI to fill out more complex forms
It looks like Microsoft Edge is getting a new feature that will make it easier to fill out forms thanks to a boost from GPT-4 (the most up-to-date major language model from ChatGPT’s makers, OpenAI).
Browsers like Edge already have autofill tools to help fill out fields asking for commonly requested personal information, and this capability could be further enhanced thanks to GPT-4’s technology.
The digital assistant currently offered by Microsoft, Copilot, is also powered by GPT-4 and has already seen significant integration into Edge. In theory, the new GPT-4-driven form-filling feature will help Edge users tackle more complex or unusual queries, instead of the typical basic fields (name, address, email, etc.) that the existing functionality for autofill handles well.
Right now, though, this supercharged autofill is a feature hidden in the Edge codebase (it’s called “msEdgeAutofillUseGPTForAISuggestions”), so it’s not active yet, even in testing. Windows Latest tried it to activate the new feature, but without success – so it remains to be seen how the feature works in action.
Strengthening the powers of Edge and Copilot
Of course, as noted, Edge’s current autofill feature is sufficient for most form-filling needs, but that won’t help with form fields that require more complex or longer responses. As Windows Latest notes, if you want, you can just paste these types of questions directly into Edge’s Copilot sidebar, and the AI can help you formulate an answer that way. Additionally, you could also experiment with different forms of conversation to perhaps get different answers.
This souped-up autofill could be a useful addition to Edge, and Microsoft is clearly trying to evolve both its browser and the Copilot AI itself to be more helpful and generally smarter.
That said, it’s hard to say to what extent Microsoft is prioritizing user satisfaction, just as it is implementing measures that could potentially annoy some users. We’re thinking of the recent aggressive advertising strategy and restricting access to settings if your copy of Windows isn’t activated, to name a few examples. Not to mention the fast approaching end date for Windows 10 (the most popular operating system).
Copilot was presented as a universal assistant, but the AI still leaves a lot to be desired. However, improvements and integration into existing Microsoft products are gradually emerging, and we’ll have to see if the big bet on Copilot works out as expected.