Depressing a button will function as a means to summon an artificial intelligence agent as Microsoft utilizes its authority in the computer industry to transform the future generation of keyboards.
Starting this month, specific new personal computers running on Microsoft’s Windows OS will incorporate a designated “Copilot key” that triggers the software giant’s AI chatbot.
The integration of an AI button on laptops by third-party computer makers signifies Microsoft’s most recent effort to exploit its strong partnership with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, positioning itself as a central hub for generative AI technology applications.
Despite the current trend of accessing the internet and AI features through phones rather than computers, the introduction of the AI button indicates the commencement of what is expected to be a highly competitive year, with tech behemoths striving to outdo each other in AI applications amid unresolved ethical and legal dilemmas. Recently, The New York Times initiated legal action against both OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming that tools like ChatGPT and Copilot (previously Bing Chat) were created by violating copyrighted news articles.
The upcoming keyboard revamp signifies Microsoft’s most notable modification to PC keyboards since the introduction of the distinctive Windows key in the 1990s. While Microsoft’s four-squared logo design has evolved, the key itself has remained a fixture on Windows-centric keyboards for nearly three decades.
The new AI button will showcase the unique ribbon-like Copilot logo and will be positioned close to the space bar. On specific computers, it will substitute the right “CTRL” key, while on others, it will replace a menu key.
Personalized keys are not exclusive to Microsoft. Apple set the trend in the 1980s with its “Command” key featuring a looped square design (initially embellished with an Apple logo). Google also introduced a search button on its Chromebooks and was the first to experiment with an AI-specific key to launch its voice assistant on the now-discontinued Pixelbook.
Nevertheless, Microsoft holds a notably dominant position in the PC market through licensing agreements with third-party manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell, and HP. Around 82% of all desktop computers, laptops, and workstations run on Windows, in contrast to Apple’s proprietary OS at 9% and Google’s at slightly over 6%, as per market research firm IDC.
Microsoft has not yet revealed which computer manufacturers will incorporate the Copilot button, apart from its high-end Surface devices. It expects that some of these companies will introduce their new models at the upcoming CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
