Microsoft Copilot gets 12 big updates for fall, including new AI assistant character Mico

Microsoft unveiled a new generation of Copilot features, deeply integrated across Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365, aiming to be a practical AI assistant. The focus is on usefulness, shifting away from hype, with the goal of being helpful and personal. The update highlights Microsoft's own AI models, including MAI-Voice-1, MAI-1-Preview, and MAI-Vision-1, for various capabilities. Twelve key features redefine Copilot, including shared sessions, content creation, and a new character named Mico. Mico, a visual companion, echoes Microsoft's history with character-based assistants like Clippy. Groups allows up to 32 users to brainstorm and co-author collaboratively. Copilot's memory and connectors streamline data access within Microsoft's ecosystem. Copilot Mode in Edge transforms the browser for AI-assisted workflows. Copilot on Windows integrates the assistant directly into the operating system. These improvements leverage Microsoft's in-house MAI models for multimodal workflows, enhancing efficiency.