Windows 11 gets Microsoft Copilot plugins and more AI upgrades

Following the launch of Copilot Pro in January, Microsoft will start rolling out a slew of upgrades today to make its AI assistant more useful in Windows 11. The biggest addition is support for plugins, something that only worked with Copilot on the web previously. You could, for example, connect Copilot to OpenTable so you can make a reservation from within its chat window. If you’re low on groceries, you could start an order using the Instacart plugin. Microsoft says that plugins from Kayak, Klarna and Shopify will also be arriving over the next month. The goal, of course, is to keep you locked into the Copilot window for as long as possible.

Microsoft doesn’t even want you to leave Copilot to access system settings. With this new update, you’ll be able to turn battery saver mode on and off, or view your system’s hardware profile, from within the AI chat view. You could also request that Copilot turn on Windows 11’s Live Captions, Narrator or Screen Magnifier. It can even display a list of available Wi-Fi networks to connect to. Mainstream users might end up loving the ability to tap into Windows 11’s features without navigating through the Settings app, so Copilot’s enhanced integration could end up being a usability win for Microsoft.

Windows 11 apps that use AI-powered features, like Photos and Clipchamp, are also getting a few AI enhancements. Photos now has a Generative Erase feature that can help you remove unwanted objects and elements from a picture, while Clipchamp will begin previewing a Silence Removal AI tool to cut out awkward video moments.

Microsoft says it will begin rolling out these Copilot and AI upgrades starting today for users running Windows 11 with the 22H2 (2022) and 23H2 (2023) year-end updates. If you’re eager to try out the new features, make sure you’ve enabled the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” The company expects to have most features available when it launches the optional March 2024 non-security preview update.