Microsoft (MSFT) has unveiled a new keyboard key that is exclusively for the company's Windows Copilot, demonstrating its increased commitment to artificial intelligence. The Copilot key, the first upgrade to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly 30 years, will be available starting in February on laptops and desktop keyboards from Microsoft's OEM partners.
Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president and chief marketing officer of Microsoft, claims that hitting this key will launch Copilot, which lets you search for material on the internet, your own content, and common PC functionalities using the generative AI functionality of the program. Copilot is intended to serve as a form of always-available intelligent assistant.
Microsoft stated that businesses should start revealing desktops and laptops with the capability in the next several days, however it did not name any specific partners who will launch with the Copilot key. A closer look at the capability will also be provided at CES 2024, which begins on January 9.
Microsoft is demonstrating its belief that generative AI is essential to the future of personal computing by pressuring its hardware partners to include a Copilot key in their laptops and desktop computers. When Microsoft introduced the Windows key in 1994, it was the last time it added a new keyboard key.
Microsoft made a number of AI-related announcements during the majority of 2023, including the launch of its Copilot for Microsoft 365 chatbot and Edge browser.
Giants in semiconductors are embracing AI as well. Each of AMD (AMD), Intel (INTC), and Qualcomm (QCOM) has released an AI PC chip with a specialized neural processor meant to run generative AI applications, among other AI-specific activities.
It's unclear, though, how much those chips will benefit customers. Even Intel is unsure of the precise applications that developers may create in the future that utilize or depend on neural processors.
The PC market is anticipated to expand for the first time since 2021, which coincides with the AI PC movement, according to Michael Ng, an analyst at Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
"We anticipate that the first technological shift in personal computing since the widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets will drive global PC shipments in 2024 as new AI-capable PCs come to market (later in 2024) and as pandemic-purchased devices start to reach four years of age," Ng wrote in a note on Tuesday.
The anticipated rebound in PC sales comes after years of decreases following a big spike at the start of the epidemic.
However, as those systems get older, people will start purchasing newer PCs, which will promote the use of AI PCs. And that will undoubtedly improve the financial results of Qualcomm, AMD, Intel, and Microsoft.
