PCWorld reports Microsoft has stopped automatically installing Microsoft 365 Copilot on Windows 11 following significant user backlash against forced AI integration. This decision addresses privacy concerns after a previous Copilot bug allowed unauthorized access to confidential Outlook emails. Administrators can still manually deploy the AI assistant, while existing installations remain unaffected by this policy change. Since October, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app has been automatically installed on computers running Windows 11, a move that has upset many users. Fortunately, Microsoft has taken the criticism on board and is no longer automatically installing this app--for now.

PCWorld reports Microsoft is scaling back Copilot AI integration in Windows 11 after widespread user dissatisfaction and poor reception. The company has shelved plans to embed Copilot into notifications and settings, reversing its previous commitment that every Windows 11 PC would be an AI PC. This strategic shift comes as Copilot+ PCs have underperformed in the market, prompting Microsoft to reduce AI bloat across the operating system. Microsoft apparently doesn't know what to do with itself, at least as far as Copilot, AI, and Windows are concerned. Recent reports suggest that Microsoft is backing away from more AI in Windows 11.

One difficulty in using artificial agents for human-assistive applications lies in the challenge of accurately assisting with a person's goal(s). Existing methods tend to rely on inferring the human's goal, which is challenging when there are many potential goals or when the set of candidate goals is difficult to identify. We propose a new paradigm for assistance by instead increasing thehuman's ability tocontroltheir environment, and formalize this approach byaugmenting reinforcement learning withhuman empowerment.

PCWorld tested Microsoft Copilot's new reminder feature for Android and iOS phones, which allows setting reminders from a PC similar to old Cortana functions. The feature proved unreliable during testing, with reminders failing to trigger notifications on devices, raising concerns about Copilot's overall utility. With SimilarWeb reporting only 1 percent usage figures for Copilot, this unreliability could further impact user trust and adoption rates. Microsoft has quietly added reminders to Copilot. Well, at least Copilot seems to think so.

Microsoft Copilot security vulnerability called "Reprompt" discovered by Varonis researchers allowed attackers to hijack Copilot sessions through malicious links.

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The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has unearthed the potential to assist humans in controlling advanced technologies. Shared autonomy (SA) facilitates control by combining inputs from a human pilot and an AI copilot. In prior SA studies, the copilot is constantly active in determining the action played at each time step. This limits human autonomy that may have deleterious effects on performance. In general, the amount of helpful copilot assistance varies greatly depending on the task dynamics.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Did Microsoft do anything right in 2025? From AI overload to price hikes, little Microsoft did during 2025 was worth applauding. Can you name one single, solitary, success Microsoft had in 2025? In the years that PCWorld has catalogued Microsoft's wins, failures, and head-scratching "WTF" moments, there's always been a mix of high points and lows.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. In the run-up to Valentine's Day, Microsoft saw a surge in conversations about relationships and personal development. Microsoft has released a new report showing what people used its AI assistant Copilot for in 2025. The analysis is based on 37.5 million de-identified conversations and shows that in addition to productivity, Copilot is used for health, relationships and personalized guidance. Health was particularly prevalent on mobile, with users turning to Copilot around the clock for tips on exercise, routines, and wellness.