Pressing a button is a way to summon an artificial intelligence agent as Microsoft exerts its influence in the computer industry to reimagine the next generation of keyboards.
Starting this month, some new personal computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system will have a special “Copilot key” that launches the software giant's AI chatbot.
Getting third-party computer makers to add an AI button to laptops is the latest move by Microsoft to capitalize on its close partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI and make itself a gateway for applications of generative AI technology.
Although most people now connect to the Internet (and AI applications) via phone rather than computer, this is a symbolic kick-off to what is expected to be an intensely competitive year as technology companies race to outdo each other in the field of AI applications, even if they have not yet been done. all ethical and legal implications resolved. The New York Times sued both OpenAI and Microsoft last month, alleging that tools like ChatGPT and Copilot – formerly known as Bing Chat – were built by infringing on copyrighted news articles.
The keyboard redesign will be Microsoft's biggest change to PC keyboards since it introduced a dedicated Windows key in the 1990s. Microsoft's four-cornered logo design has evolved, but the key has been a staple of Windows-oriented keyboards for almost thirty years.
The latest AI button is highlighted by the ribbon-like Copilot logo and is located near the spacebar. On some computers it will replace the right “CTRL” key, while on others it will replace a menu key.
Microsoft isn't the only company with custom keys. Apple pioneered the concept in the 1980s with the 'Command' key, marked by a square design with a loop (it also featured an Apple logo for a time). Google has a search button on its Chromebooks and was the first to experiment with an AI-specific key to launch its voice assistant on its now-discontinued Pixelbook.
But Microsoft has a much stronger hold on the PC market through licensing agreements with third-party manufacturers such as Lenovo, Dell and HP. According to market research firm IDC, about 82% of all desktop computers, laptops and workstations run Windows, compared to 9% for Apple's in-house operating system and just over 6% for Google.
Microsoft hasn't yet said which computer manufacturers are installing the Copilot button outside of Microsoft's own line of premium Surface devices. It is said that some companies are expected to unveil their new models at next week's CES gadget show in Las Vegas.