Mico is Microsoft's Clippy for the AI age

Microsoft has introduced Mico, an AI-powered visual presence designed to be the "face" of Copilot's voice mode. This friendly, blob-like character listens, reacts, and changes color based on user interactions. Mico aims to serve as a supportive AI companion that respectfully offers guidance and even pushes back when necessary. It's intended to provide an expressive, customizable, and warm user experience. Mico is also integrated into a new Copilot feature called Learn Live, which targets students. In Learn Live, Mico will act as a Socratic tutor, guiding users through concepts using questions, visual cues, and interactive whiteboards. The Verge reports that Mico is initially available in the US, UK, and Canada. It is enabled by default for Copilot's voice mode. Users have the option to disable Mico if they prefer not to interact with a visual character. This initiative represents Microsoft's vision for the future of AI companionship.