If you think Microsoft is keen to get faithful Windows 10 users to upgrade their PCs to Windows 11 – or even fork out for a shiny new computer to get the latest software – then you might be surprised to hear the tech giant intends to bring one of Windows 11’s newest high tech features to millions of Windows 10 devices worldwide.
Windows Central is reporting that Microsoft plans to bring its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant software Copilot to Windows 10, even though the company originally launched the smart replacement for its Cortana assistant for cutting edge Windows 11 only.
Copilot is Microsoft’s new AI tool that runs on large language models similar to the tech behind ChatGPT and other AI software that can create original written text from a few simple prompts.
“Microsoft Copilot combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your organisation’s data – all in the flow of work – to turn your words into one of the most powerful productivity tools on the planet,” Microsoft said.
“It works alongside popular Microsoft 365 Apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. Copilot provides real-time intelligent assistance, enabling users to enhance their creativity, productivity, and skills.”
The new report suggests Microsoft has decided to bring Copilot to Windows 10 in a software update soon because figures show there are about one billion active Windows 10 devices in the world – more than double the 400 million estimated Windows 11 machines. It’s a quick way to put Copilot in front of millions more people and businesses.
Microsoft wants Copilot to pop up just like old PC pal Clippy, the helpful paperclip from the 1990s. Copilot will be present for Windows users when they are using Microsoft 365 – popular apps like Word, Excel and Powerpoint – as well as the Edge browser and Bing search engine. It will be able to take written commands to create text, images, and presentations, as well as helping you shop online, create AI art in the famous Paint app, or even edit your photos.
Given the power of Copilot, it’s good to see Microsoft may be bringing it to Windows 10. Since the launch of Windows 11 in 2021, the firm has been pushing people to upgrade their computers to the new operating system, though minimum hardware requirements mean some can’t.
A petition was recently launched in the US calling for Microsoft to extend software support for Windows 10, which is currently slated to end in October 2025. Windows Central said there are internal discussions at Microsoft about extending the end date.
