Microsoft enhances AI Copilot with new voice

In its latest update, Microsoft has made its artificial intelligence assistant Copilot more user-friendly with an amiable voice. The chatbot can now also analyze web pages for users as they browse.

The U.S. software maker now has "an entire army" of creative directors - among them psychologists, novelists and comedians - finessing the tone and style of Copilot to distinguish it, Mustafa Suleyman, chief executive of Microsoft AI, told a news source.

In one demonstration of the updated Copilot, a consumer asked what housewarming gift to buy at a grocery store for a friend who did not drink wine. After some back-and-forth, Copilot said aloud: "Italian (olive) oils are the hot stuff right now. Tuscan's my go-to. Super peppery."

The feature rollout is one of the first that Mustafa Suleyman has overseen since Microsoft created this division in March.

Suleyman aims to make a bigger impact with Copilot, which launched last year. He noted that Copilot's newly enhanced voice capabilities make it sound more like an active listener, offering verbal cues such as 'cool' and 'huh.

Underlying the product are Microsoft AI, or "MAI," models, plus a technology suite from partner OpenAI, Suleyman said.

As per Suleyman, the consumers who are spending $20 monthly for Copilot Pro can try "Think Deeper" feature that reasons through choices, like whether to move to one city or another.

He also explained a new feature for the subscribers who are paying, Copilot Vision, functions as 'digital pointing,' allowing users to interact with AI about what they see in the Microsoft Edge browser. According to Microsoft, users must opt in, and their viewed content will not be stored or used to train AI.

These updates represent "glimmers" of AI that can be an "ever-present confidant, in your corner," Suleyman said. It's a vision he articulated as CEO of Inflection AI, whose top talent Microsoft poached in a closely watched deal this year.

Suleyman said that eventually, Copilot will learn context from consumers' Word documents, Windows desktops, even their gaming consoles if they grant permission.