Microsoft Introduces AI Copilot Key for Windows 11 PCs: “First Significant Change to the Windows PC Keyboard in Nearly Three Decades”

[Tsing]

Microsoft has declared 2024 to be the year of the AI PC, and it's ushering in that agenda with the Copilot key, a brand-new addition to the Windows keyboard that will grant users quick access to its everyday AI companion, which was officially announced in September for Windows 11, Microsoft 365, Bing, and Edge, its Chromium-based browser.

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[MadMummy76]

Another waste of space. I have never used the windows keys either. Except when I accidentally push it instead of ALT or CTRL and the game gets minimized and I start swearing.

 

[Zarathustra]

Another waste of space. I have never used the windows keys either. Except when I accidentally push it instead of ALT or CTRL and the game gets minimized and I start swearing.

I am unlikely to ever use Copilot key, as I am unlikely to ever use Copilot.

Usually I try new things even though I am not into them, just because i ma curious. This AI ****? Not even remotely curious.

So yeah, not going to be buying a new keyboard just for this. In fact, I would probably prefer an older keyboard without it.

That said I think a windows key is useful. I never use the menu key on the right, but I do use a windows key all the freaking time.

That's the only way I've been launching programs probably since Windows 7 launched. Press windows key, start typing a few letters of the program you want to launch, press enter.

I'm honestly shocked anyone doesn't do this in 2024. How do you launch programs? Do you actually click on icons?

 

[MadMummy76]

I am unlikely to ever use Copilot key, as I am unlikely to ever use Copilot.

Usually I try new things even though I am not into them, just because i ma curious. This AI ****? Not even remotely curious.

I'm unlikely to use copilot, but not because any of this AI luddite FUD. Simply because I'm not interested in MS's walled in garden variety with data collection.

So yeah, not going to be buying a new keyboard just for this. In fact, I would probably prefer an older keyboard without it.

Just as I'd prefer a keyboard without windows keys. Except they no longer exist.

That said I think a windows key is useful. I never use the menu key on the right, but I do use a windows key all the freaking time.

Ironically I actually found the menu key useful once or twice, when I'm forced to use a computer without a mouse for any reason it is the easiest way to access right click context menus. But that was maybe 5 occasions in 20 years.

I'm honestly shocked anyone doesn't do this in 2024. How do you launch programs? Do you actually click on icons?

Yes, I actually use icons. The most commonly used programs are on quick launch, easily accessible with a single click, no need to type in anything. The less regularly but still occasionally needed programs are on the desktop, as double clicking is still much faster than typing anything.

And when I do need to access the start menu once in a blue moon, I don't even think about the completely redundant windows key, I just press CTRL-ESC. It doesn't take any more effort, in fact those keys are easier to locate blindly as they are the leftmost keys, and not a key sandwiched between two other function keys.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

I admit that I use the Windows key all the time for Windows Snap and occasionally for looking for an app. I don't have any interest in co-pilot, yet, at least until I can see if it might actually have any meaningful assistance for what I'm doing but that's pretty doubtful right now.

 

[Endgame]

When I was doing PC support a long time ago, I used to use the windows key. Haven't been using it much in the past 10+ years. For launching applications, I've got firefox on quick launch and I right click steam in the tray and choose the game (I usually only play 1-2 games at a time).

Occasionally, I click in the search bar and start typing the program name - perhaps I should switch to using the windows key.

 

[Zarathustra]

I admit that I use the Windows key all the time for Windows Snap and occasionally for looking for an app. I don't have any interest in co-pilot, yet, at least until I can see if it might actually have any meaningful assistance for what I'm doing but that's pretty doubtful right now.

Ah yes. Snap. I use that all the time too. (though rarely under actual windows, I think Linux desktops actually did this first)

And yeah, the windows key doesn't do anything new you cant do without it (like Ctrl-Esc), but it is much quicker than using a 2 axis freedom of movement device to aim at an icon and click, and a single keypress is faster than two for Ctrl-Esc.

...and I'm still pretty fast on the mouse from my years of Counter-Strike.

I'm unlikely to use copilot, but not because any of this AI luddite FUD. Simply because I'm not interested in MS's walled in garden variety with data collection.

Less anything to do with being a Luddite. I've been a tech enthusiast my entire life, always embracing new things. At least the good ones.

It has everything to do with being a control freak though. I don't trust other people to do even menial tasks on my behalf, and I sure as hell don't trust some poorly validated black box language model, and never will.


I insist on doing every little bit of detail work myself, with minimal automation, validated or otherwise. Only then can I trust it.


This is why I just don't use the stuff, and would prefer if others didn't use it too. Not only do I not trust the output. I also don't trust other people to exercise good judgment in when to use AI model outputs. As with everything else, it ultimately comes down to lack of trust in people.

AI should have remained an expert tool for those with multiple advanced degrees to utilize to filter data and look for patterns in large difficult to manage datasets. Only true subject matter experts have the requisite expertise to know when to trust AI output.

And even then, it should only be used for filtering inputs which can later be validated manually by humans using traditional static statistical models.

It should never have been pushed out to the masses the way OpenAI, Google and Microsoft are doing. This is potentially catastrophically bad.

But yeah, from a societal perspective, lets also not forget that the Luddites - while having been made fun of for over 200 years as being dumb and backwards - were actually right. The industrial revolution - while long term elevating the condition of humanity - was absolutely devastating for many crafts and tradesmen caught up in it at the time. Lots of people had their entire lives ruined. While over the decades the economies adapted, as did training of the new types of workforce that were needed, this didn't help those crafts and tradesmen.

It ruined lives. Lots of them.

AI will do the same.

 

[MadMummy76]

Ah yes. Snap. I use that all the time too. (though rarely under actual windows, I think Linux desktops actually did this first)

And yeah, the windows key doesn't do anything new you cant do without it (like Ctrl-Esc), but it is much quicker than using a 2 axis freedom of movement device to aim at an icon and click, and a single keypress is faster than two for Ctrl-Esc.

I use more than one finger on the keyboard so pressing CTRL-ESC takes equal time. And point and click is more convenient because one of my hands is already on the mouse, if I want to type in something I need both hands on the keyboard, which is a much larger movement than moving the cursor anywhere on screen.

...and I'm still pretty fast on the mouse from my years of Counter-Strike.

So aiming at an icon shouldn't be a problem for you I even use hard mode because the taskbar is set to small icons.

Less anything to do with being a Luddite. I've been a tech enthusiast my entire life, always embracing new things. At least the good ones.

It has everything to do with being a control freak though. I don't trust other people to do even menial tasks on my behalf, and I sure as hell don't trust some poorly validated black box language model, and never will.

Not understanding what the technology can do for you and rejecting it outright is exactly the type of thinking I meant by luddite.
Generative AI has zero validation, it is not a language model, nor an algorithm. It is not a one-click solution to problems, even though some people erroneously use it that way.. It is a tool that makes certain tasks faster or easier, it gives options where none existed before.

I insist on doing every little bit of detail work myself, with minimal automation, validated or otherwise. Only then can I trust it.

When you use AI you are not delegating a task, it is just another tool. It is still very much you who is doing the work, because you are the one who needs to check and validate the output. The great thing about AI is that it can spit out dozens of variations in minutes for things that would take a human unreasonably long to do just one example of. You as the user need to find a suitable output or modify the prompts until you get a suitable output. Or even combine multiple outputs.

This is why I just don't use the stuff, and would prefer if others didn't use it too. Not only do I not trust the output. I also don't trust other people to exercise good judgment in when to use AI model outputs. As with everything else, it ultimately comes down to lack of trust in people.

People not using good judgement is not specific to just AI. How can you trust a person to code well, who is not even capable of using AI?

AI should have remained an expert tool for those with multiple advanced degrees to utilize to filter data and look for patterns in large difficult to manage datasets. Only true subject matter experts have the requisite expertise to know when to trust AI output.

I saw staggering amounts of inaccuracies published long before AI. Actually compared to the average unqualified Joe, AI is already doing better.
Lacking access to an actual expert, I'd still prefer AI, over "common sense".

And even then, it should only be used for filtering inputs which can later be validated manually by humans using traditional static statistical models.

It should never have been pushed out to the masses the way OpenAI, Google and Microsoft are doing. This is potentially catastrophically bad.

It's not the tool's fault if people use it incorrectly. If a person is capable of doing the work manually they should be capable of validating the AI output just as well, saving hours of work.

But yeah, from a societal perspective, lets also not forget that the Luddites - while having been made fun of for over 200 years as being dumb and backwards - were actually right. The industrial revolution - while long term elevating the condition of humanity - was absolutely devastating for many crafts and tradesmen caught up in it at the time. Lots of people had their entire lives ruined. While over the decades the economies adapted, as did training of the new types of workforce that were needed, this didn't help those crafts and tradesmen.

It ruined lives. Lots of them.

AI will do the same.

I'll shed no tears for the erasure of menial jobs that are beneath people. Dealing with people who are made redundant in the workforce by progress is a political issue. Don't hate the technology that made those jobs easier, blame politicians for not getting ahead of the writing on the wall.