When the Copilot Plus computers are released next week, they will be released without it controversial Recall feature.
Recall was unveiled by Microsoft in May 2024 as a key feature of Copilot+ computers. This new type of computer is equipped with a neural processing unit to process AI tasks faster on the device.
Microsoft, riding on a cloud of AI hype with its share price rising nearly 100% since December 2023, was confident that the Recall would give the new type of computer the boost it needed.
To Microsoft's senior executives, Recall must have sounded like a great idea. The idea was, the ability to record the screen of the Windows device every five seconds to allow AI processing. This would allow users to find their every activity, through AI.
Of course, the negative reviews took Microsoft by surprise, because the company:
- Configure Recall to run automatically on Copilot+ computers. Users had to block it manually.
- The Recall database was not protected while the system was running.
- The database exposed a user's entire computer activity to malware and law enforcement.
About two weeks later, Microsoft came forward to announce major changes to the Recall AI feature. The company announced that it will add an option to disable Recall during initial setup and add improved security to the new feature.
But now the company he published an update to its website, adding additional information to the post about Recall's upcoming security and usability changes.
In the new addition, Microsoft states that Recall will not be available as a preview on Copilot+ PCs starting June 18, 2024. Instead, Microsoft made the decision to preview Recall in the Windows Insider Program first.
According to the company, the decision to delay the launch of Recall on regular devices was made to "ensure that the experience meets our high standards of quality and safety."
These standards were of course ignored during the initial announcement of the Copilot+ and Recall computers.
George is still wondering what he is doing here….
