Software giant
Microsoft
is changing your keyboard. The company has announced that it is adding a button to its
Windows
keyboard that would pull up the tech giant's AI-powered
Copilot
service. This will be the first big change for the device in nearly three decades. This development marks Microsoft's most significant alteration to PC keyboards since the introduction of the Windows key in the 1990s.
With this Microsoft aims to leverage its collaboration with ChatGPT maker
OpenAI
. The company made a huge investment in ChatGPT last year.
How will the AI key look and work
The new AI key will be called the "Copilot key". The key will enable users to summon the artificial intelligence (AI) agent with the press of the button. The
AI button
, adorned with the distinctive Copilot logo, will be conveniently positioned near the space bar, potentially replacing either the right "CTRL" key or a menu key.
The key will be seen on some new Windows 11 PCs in the run-up to and at the CES technology trade show, set to be held in Las Vegas later this month, Microsoft said. As for commercial availability, the key will be available sometime after February this year, including on upcoming Surface devices.
What AI keyboard means for Microsoft
The addition of the 'Co-pilot' key underscores Microsoft's ambitions for AI-enabled PCs. The AI-enabled PCs are machines that work on advanced chips capable of running large-language models and apps powered by the technology directly on the device instead of the cloud. It marks the latest effort by the company, which is investing billions in AI, to incorporate the technology in its products.
Analysts are betting on these AI PCs to help the personal computer market that has been in almost a free fall in the post-pandemic times. The research firm Canalys forecasted the adoption of AI-capable PCs to speed up from 2025 onwards.
English (US) ·