Microsoft is finally rolling out its controversial AI-based Copilot+ Recall feature to the public, after several missteps in bringing it to Windows 11.
The feature, which is designed to be a photographic memory as it takes deeply searchable screenshots of your activity within apps across the operating system, has been blasted by security and privacy advocates since its announcement in May last year.
Microsoft has attempted to test the feature with Windows Insiders a number of times, but has each time pulled it back for further refinement. Until now. The latest beta attempt earlier this month was the last.
In a blog post today, Microsoft says it is ready to bring Recall to CoPilot+ PCs with a load of assurances that the feature is entirely opt-in and can be removed from your PC entirely.
For example: “Recall is an opt-in experience with a rich set of privacy controls to filter content and customise what gets saved for you to find later,” the company wrote on the Windows Blog.
“We’ve implemented extensive security considerations, such as Windows Hello sign-in, data encryption and isolation in Recall to help keep your data safe and secure. Recall data is processed locally on your device, meaning it is not sent to the cloud and is not shared with Microsoft and Microsoft will not share your data with third parties.”
Microsoft does believe it’s all of this hassle is worth it though saying it “transforms how you search for and rediscover content on your PC.”
It says, for example, that describing content you remember rather than searching for the file name “can take up to 70% less time to find and reengage with your PowerPoint presentation – just use your own words, no digging required.”
Recall will be rolling out on some of the best Windows laptops soon.
Opinion
Microsoft can be commended for addressing all of the concerns about Recall rather than forcing it on the public when it was clearly flawed and not thoroughly thought through beyond the practical task of building the feature.
Microsoft gone to lengths to make sure the people who want this have to opt-in, rather than the other way around, has secured it with Windows Hello, and has enabled those repulsed by the idea to delete it completely.
It’s also done a better job of automating which content can be automatically filtered out of the screenshotting, according to researchers looking into the feature. Emitting things like bank statements and mature content while browsing the web, for example.
