Microsoft unveiled a new Windows 11 feature on Monday, May 20, which uses the power of artificial intelligence to take snapshots of all the activities a user does on their computer. The new AI feature, known as “Recall,” takes continuous screenshots of activity, tracking what one sees and does on their computer.
The feature will be part of a new line of AI computers that is rolling out on June 18. Recall will create a database of every action, search performed or live meeting a user attended.
Users can simply perform a Recall action and get a snapshot of the their past activity with added context. The goal is to make research and documentation more seamless by using an AI-enhanced search engine.
Microsoft promised the company will protect users’ privacy. Additionally, the feature can be restricted on sensitive sites, such as banking websites, or any site the user chooses. The feature can also be completely disabled.
CEO Satya Nadella told The Wall Street Journal he believes the use of the technology should be up to each individual user. Nadella said that he “thinks we are at the very early stages of understanding our relationship with AI agents.” He also said that these agents “should be shaped by us primarily.“
Microsoft’s announcement comes on the heels of a major announcement by Google, which unveiled Astra, an AI-powered feature that can converse with users through a Smartphone camera lens. Astra can observe human emotions and even the clothes someone wears.
The project is still in the developmental phases.
Microsoft’s efforts with AI also seem to have the company joining the race between Apple and Google in a bid to ramp up the competition.
Recall will be available on select computers by June 18. The company predicts that 50 million AI computers will be sold in the next 12 months.
