Microsoft’s AI Copilot Is Growing Up — Here’s What’s New
Turning 50 is a big deal—even for a tech titan like Microsoft. And instead of cake and candles, the company’s handing out something a little more high-tech: a seriously upgraded version of its AI-powered assistant, Copilot.
Designed to be more intuitive and capable than ever, the new Copilot update introduces features that let it complete online tasks, understand your preferences, and even interpret visuals from your phone camera—all in real time. Microsoft is clearly aiming to close the feature gap between Copilot and heavyweights like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Copilot Can Now Take Actions Across the Web
Let’s start with one of the splashiest updates: Microsoft Copilot now works like a digital concierge, capable of completing tasks across many popular websites.
Need to book a flight, reserve a dinner spot, or send flowers? Just ask. Thanks to new partnerships with platforms like Booking.com, OpenTable, Kayak, Expedia, and even 1-800-Flowers, Copilot can now handle these tasks on your behalf. It works a lot like OpenAI’s Operator or Perplexity AI’s agent tools, only with Microsoft’s own twist.
So if you type in something like, “Book a weekend getaway to Lagos,” Copilot will do the legwork—no tabs, no fuss.
Smarter Shopping: Price Drop Alerts Are Now Built-In
In a move that mirrors how some browser extensions track online deals, Copilot now acts as your personal bargain hunter. Looking to snag a pair of sneakers on sale? Just tell Copilot, and it’ll monitor prices across the web and notify you when the price dips. You’ll even get a link to the best deal.
While Microsoft hasn’t revealed how reliable this feature is yet, it's a promising addition for online shoppers who hate checking sites every five minutes.
Seeing Is Believing: Copilot Can Now Interpret Images and Screens
This one’s wild. On mobile devices, Copilot has learned a new trick: visual analysis. Open your phone’s camera or browse your photo gallery, and the AI can interpret what it sees—whether that’s a weird-looking plant or a receipt you forgot to file.
And on Windows? The new Copilot app now watches your desktop, allowing it to search files, tweak system settings, or help organize your screen. Think of it as your desktop sidekick—though one hopes it's got some boundaries. Microsoft didn’t elaborate much on privacy protections here, which might leave some users wary.
Personalized Podcasts and Conversations From Your Notes
Ever wanted to turn your research or reading into a podcast-style conversation? With Copilot’s new “Audio Overviews” feature, you can. Feed it an article, a research paper, or even just a long web page, and Copilot creates a dialogue between two AI-generated hosts who discuss the content. You can jump in at any point, ask questions, and the hosts will respond like you're part of the conversation.
This feature mirrors what Google is doing with NotebookLM but adds Microsoft’s signature productivity edge.
“Pages” and “Deep Research” Bring Order to Chaos
Two new features—Pages and Deep Research—are designed for power users juggling multiple projects. Pages lets you gather notes, links, and thoughts into a single canvas. It feels a lot like ChatGPT’s Canvas or Claude’s Artifacts tool. You can ask Copilot to help organize your notes or even draft summaries and documents.
Deep Research takes things further. It digs through web pages, images, and uploaded documents to answer detailed, layered questions. It’s ideal for students, journalists, and researchers who need solid, verifiable information without jumping between tabs.
Arguably the most controversial update: Copilot now has memory. It remembers things like your favorite genres of movies, frequent shopping habits, or preferred restaurants. This enables it to give tailored suggestions and reminders without asking the same questions over and over.
But don’t worry—if that feels too invasive, Microsoft gives you the option to clear memories or turn the feature off completely. The company says users can manage these preferences through a dedicated Copilot dashboard.
“You remain in control,” Microsoft emphasized in a blog post. And in an era where data privacy is a hot-button issue, that kind of reassurance isn’t just welcome—it’s essential.
What's Next for Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft isn’t just layering new features on top of old code—it’s reportedly looking to rework Copilot’s entire backend, potentially shifting away from OpenAI’s models toward more homegrown AI solutions.
With rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini continuing to evolve rapidly, Microsoft seems determined to keep Copilot competitive—whether that means smarter tools, stronger personalization, or simply making everyday tasks a whole lot easier.