Microsoft has showcased its latest AI capabilities in the Windows 11 operating system, demonstrating what this planned integration will look like. The new interface, called "Ask Copilot," is an optional feature that users can enable in place of the standard Windows Search. Once activated, it connects to Microsoft 365 services and allows users to summon specific agents in the taskbar by typing the "@" symbol, similar to tagging someone in a message thread. For example, one of these agents, the Researcher, can perform extended research tasks that run for ten minutes or longer in the background, with small taskbar indicators tracking its progress in a manner similar to file downloads.

Although this project contradicts with the company's recent promise to step back from its "AI everywhere" strategy, this AI integration has been part of Microsoft's long-term plan. In addition to the taskbar changes, Microsoft is adding a Copilot button inside File Explorer, which provides summaries and relevant context for synced shared documents without requiring users to open a separate application. Instead of directing users to a dedicated Copilot app, Microsoft aims to integrate AI assistance into the parts of Windows that people use every day. This means that these small AI integrations across the OS can help provide little productivity boosts that compound, delivering users a slightly better experience researching new topics and creating new content. Microsoft states that these changes will be widely available to users within the next few weeks.