Windows laptop keyboards will have a new key for the first time in 30 years!
As AI is developing at the speed of light, 2024 will be the year of the PC with artificial intelligence, as Microsoft states. It is already preparing an upgrade for keyboards of new laptops and Windows PCs: a brand new Copilot key, which will be used to call up the AI assistant's menu.
Recently, Microsoft reinvented the way people search with Copilot in Bing, unlocked productivity with Copilot for Microsoft 365, reimagined how people get things done on the PC with Copilot in Windows, and performed many more AI-related changes. Microsoft stated in its blog article published in January 2024, the company will participate in "making 2024 the year of the AI PC". And there comes the Copilot key as the first major change to the Windows PC keyboard layout in decades.
"The introduction of the Copilot key marks the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades. We believe it will empower people to participate in the AI transformation more easily. The Copilot key joins the Windows key as a core part of the PC keyboard and when pressed, the new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day*. Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard that enabled people all over the world to interact with Windows. We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC.", said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, in a statement published in Microsoft blog.
On most keyboards, the new Copilot key will be placed next to the right Alt key, but its final placement depends on the OEM and the market for which the keyboard is intended.
Pressing the Copilot key launches Windows Copilot offering an AI-powered chatbot that can answer queries, or even perform some tasks and actions within Windows. If the Copilot assistant isn't yet available in a country (the system will be rolled out gradually), tapping it will launch a Windows search instead.
"We are excited to take the next step on our journey. There's never been a better time to get started with Copilot today, whether it's turning your ideas into songs, creating beautiful images and polished drafts to adjusting your PC settings, Copilot is your everyday AI companion for work and life." said Mehdi.
The first to get the new key will be the new Surface devices early this year. Microsoft is rumored to be planning to release the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 in the spring. Copilot is already available for Bing, Edge, and Windows itself. As a desktop assistant, it aims to help you get answers and inspirations from across the web, support your creative process, and focus on the task at hand. It will be free for Windows users. You can learn more about Microsoft's Copilot here.