AI-driven features

Winsage
May 12, 2025
Microsoft's annual Build developer conference will occur from May 19 to 22, focusing on new AI integrations, services, and applications for Windows. Last year's conference featured the integration of Copilot into Microsoft Teams and the introduction of AI-powered PCs. This year, deeper integrations of Copilot generative AI are expected, catering to consumer and enterprise needs. Keynotes will be streamed online for free. Microsoft raised prices on various software products by 5% last November and may use new AI features to justify these increases. Copilot is anticipated to have significant enhancements, with reports suggesting Microsoft is considering alternative AI models from xAI, Meta, Anthropic, and DeepSeek. Copilot may gain “agentic” capabilities for executing basic PC tasks, with references to an Action button found in the Copilot client for Windows. Microsoft is rumored to have developed a suite of models called MAI to compete with OpenAI’s offerings, potentially to be unveiled at Build. There are also rumors about a successor to the Azure Maia 100 AI Accelerator, possibly named “Maia 2,” with Marvell contracted for its production.
Winsage
May 7, 2025
Microsoft announced significant upgrades for Windows 11, including enhancements to the Start menu, Copilot AI, and utilities like Paint and the Snipping Tool. The Start menu will become larger, more customizable, and user-friendly, allowing users to view all apps at once, hide recommended shortcuts, and increase the size of the pinned apps panel. A "phone companion" feature will be integrated into the Start menu. These changes are expected to roll out to the Windows Insider channel within the next month. File Explorer will introduce AI actions for document summarization and image editing directly from the right-click menu. Notepad will gain AI text generation and summarization features, along with lightweight formatting options like bold, italic, lists, and Markdown support. Copilot Vision will allow users to interact with AI regarding on-screen content. Some features will debut on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon chipsets, including an AI agent in Settings to assist users with adjustments and the Click to Do feature for scheduling meetings and launching Immersive Reader mode. The Photos app will introduce a relight feature for dynamic lighting control. Paint will gain capabilities for creating custom stickers from text prompts and an AI-powered object select tool. The Snipping Tool will receive enhancements like intelligent screenshot cropping, text extraction, and a color picker. The Narrator on Copilot+ PCs will be upgraded to provide rich descriptions of images.
Winsage
April 2, 2025
Microsoft has announced that all Copilot+ PCs, including those with AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra 200V processors, will now have access to AI-driven features, previously limited to Snapdragon devices. Features available include Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator, though some functionalities, like photo resizing, remain exclusive to Snapdragon-powered PCs. The Voice Access feature is currently limited to Snapdragon devices, with plans for AMD and Intel compatibility later this year. Upcoming features will be available through the March 2025 Windows non-security preview update, following the November 2024 update, and will be rolled out gradually via Windows controlled feature rollout. Users can access updates by navigating to Settings > Windows Update.
Winsage
March 25, 2025
Microsoft is set to release updates for Windows 11, including two preview builds—Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 and Windows 11 Build 26100.3624—available to Windows Insiders, with a rollout expected in April. Key features include: - Semantic search capability, allowing users to search using descriptive phrases, initially exclusive to Windows on Snapdragon PCs. - Enhanced Voice Access feature with a more flexible command structure for natural language control. - Live captions and real-time translation capabilities for Copilot+ PCs, supporting up to 44 languages, with translation from English to Chinese for Snapdragon users. - A new emoji interface accessible via a dedicated icon in the taskbar. - A redesigned Windows Settings interface featuring "cards" for quick access to CPU, memory, and storage specifications. - Refinements in CPU utilization monitoring in Task Manager. - A new Xbox gamepad keyboard interface for typing via an Xbox controller.
AppWizard
March 17, 2025
The evolution of Google Assistant began in 2016, leading to the introduction of Gemini as the next iteration of AI-powered assistance. Millions are transitioning from Google Assistant to Gemini, with plans to migrate more mobile users in the coming months. The classic Google Assistant will be phased out on most mobile devices, with new downloads ceasing later this year. The upgrade will also extend to tablets, vehicles, and accessories that sync with smartphones, as well as home devices. Since its launch, the Gemini app is now available in over 40 languages across more than 200 countries, with updates introducing features like music playback and timer settings. Gemini includes innovations such as Gemini Live for dynamic conversations and Deep Research for personal research assistance.
AppWizard
February 27, 2025
Google's SafetyCore app was launched in October 2023 as part of system updates for Android devices, designed to classify content like spam and explicit material through on-device image analysis. It operates locally using machine learning, avoiding cloud uploads, and is promoted as a privacy-enhancing feature. However, it requires 2GB of storage and operates in the background without prior user disclosure, leading to criticism regarding its transparency and potential privacy implications. Users discovered its existence through online discussions, with some labeling it as "spyware." Although Google claims that SafetyCore only activates upon app requests and does not report findings back to the company, the closed-source nature of the app raises concerns about independent audits and user trust. Advocates for privacy emphasize the need for transparency in technology, especially regarding features that access personal data. Users can disable SafetyCore through the Settings menu, but many remain unaware of this option. The situation highlights a broader issue of balancing innovation with user consent in the tech industry.
AppWizard
December 9, 2024
The Gmail app is set to enhance the Gemini panel by introducing an Insert shortcut for AI-generated replies, simplifying the process of incorporating these responses into email drafts. Currently, the Gemini panel allows users to summarize email threads, retrieve information from past emails, view and add events to Google Calendar, and draft responses with AI assistance. The new Insert button, represented by an arrow icon, will enable users to paste generated text directly into drafts with a single tap. This feature was discovered in an APK teardown of the latest Gmail build (2024.11.24.702067492.Release), although it is not yet functional and has caused app crashes. The Insert button already exists in the web version of Gmail, but there has been confusion regarding its availability on mobile platforms.
Winsage
December 7, 2024
- Windows 11 introduced the Sudo command, allowing users to execute commands with elevated privileges without launching the Windows Terminal as an administrator. - An "Energy Saver" mode was added to enhance power management, combining features of the previous "Battery Saver" and "Power Mode." - Users can now modify power button actions directly from Settings without accessing the legacy Control Panel. - The date and time format in the Taskbar's System Tray has been revised to omit the AM/PM designation and the four-digit year. - Taskbar navigation has been improved, allowing users to focus on applications using their initial letters. - Users can customize mouse scrolling direction via Settings without accessing the Registry. - Windows 11 now supports Wi-Fi 7, promising speeds exceeding 40 Gbps. - A network refresh button was added to the Quick Settings flyout for easier scanning of available wireless networks. - Auto Super Resolution (Auto SR) enhances gaming visuals on Copilot+ PCs by upscaling images and improving frame rates. - Windows Studio effects enhance video and audio calls with AI-driven features, now available to all Copilot+ PC users. - The context menu in File Explorer has been updated to include labels for commonly used actions. - A new archive compression wizard allows users to create Zip, TAR, and 7zip files. - The "Link to Windows" feature enables browsing and transferring files from Android devices to Windows 11 computers without a USB connection. - The "Windows Setup" interface has been revamped with a cleaner design and simplified installation process. - A customizable Copilot key option allows users to remap this key to any application from the Microsoft Store.
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