“Microsoft” has begun implementing a new plan to reduce the appearance of its smart assistant, Copilot, in the Windows 11 operating system. The company has removed the assistant and its icon from the “Notepad” application in an update intended for users of beta versions.
In addition, the company removed the “Copilot” menu within the app, replacing it with a new option called “Writing tools,” while maintaining the same AI-powered functionality as before.
The company replaced the “Copilot” button with a pen-shaped icon, with the aim of visually reducing the assistant’s prominence in the user interface.
The update also included removing references to artificial intelligence from the settings menu, and moving the option to disable artificial intelligence-based writing tools to the “Advanced Features” section, giving users greater control over activating or disabling them.
This step comes after Microsoft announced last month its intention to reduce reliance on Copilot, in response to growing criticism from users, due to the assistant being imposed on them within various applications at the expense of performance and simplicity, and its repeated appearance in places that do not provide real value for daily use.
Pavan Davuluri, executive vice president of Windows, said the company will become “more precise in how Copilot is integrated and located across Windows.”
Microsoft has already begun to apply this strategy in a number of applications, such as the Snipping Tool and the Photos and Widgets application.
This change reflects a growing awareness within the company that over-prominence of artificial intelligence tools may negatively affect the user experience, especially in light applications such as Notepad, which users rely on for quick and simple tasks without additional complications.
It should be noted that Microsoft has moved strongly over the past two years towards integrating Copilot into most system elements, such as the taskbar, keyboards, and basic applications, as part of its effort to transform it into a direct alternative to traditional assistants such as Cortana. (aitnews)
