Microsoft has recently announced its first major keyboard redesign in three decades, and it includes the addition of an artificial intelligence chatbot button. With the launch of Windows 11, certain personal computers will feature a special “Copilot key” that allows users to access Microsoft’s AI chatbot directly. This move by Microsoft aims to leverage its partnership with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and position itself as a gateway for generative AI applications.
While more people now connect to the internet and use AI applications on their phones, the introduction of the AI button on keyboards symbolizes the upcoming competition in the AI industry. Tech companies are racing to outperform each other in the realm of AI, despite the ongoing ethical and legal concerns surrounding the technology. The New York Times recently filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement related to tools like ChatGPT and Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat).
This major keyboard redesign marks Microsoft’s most significant change to PC keyboards since the introduction of the Windows key in the 1990s. The new AI button, adorned with the Copilot logo, will be located near the space bar. In some cases, it will replace the right “CTRL” key, while other models will replace a menu key.
While Apple popularized the concept of customized keys with its “Command” key in the 1980s, and Google experimented with an AI-specific key on its now-discontinued Pixelbook, Microsoft holds a stronger position in the PC market through partnerships with manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell, and HP. According to market research firm IDC, approximately 82% of all desktop computers, laptops, and workstations run Windows, compared to Apple’s in-house operating system at 9% and Google’s at just over 6%.
Dell Technologies has already unveiled the inclusion of the Copilot key on its newest XPS laptops. Microsoft has not disclosed which other computer manufacturers will feature the AI button but has hinted that more announcements will be made during the upcoming CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
The source of the article is from the blog windowsvistamagazine.es