Following weeks of complaints from customers and privacy advocates, Microsoft removed the Windows Recall artificial intelligence function from its Copilot Plus PC release on June 18.
Microsoft said in a blog post on June 13 that the Recall function, which was announced on May 20, would be deleted from the planned Copilot Plus PC launch next week.
Instead, the functionality will be available as part of the Windows Insiders Program, which is intended for developers and fans who want to test new software before it is released to the general public.
“We are adjusting the release model for Recall to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security,” Microsoft Corporate Vice President for Windows and Devices Pavan Davuluri wrote on Thursday. “This decision is rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback prior to making the feature available to all Copilot Plus PC users.”
Microsoft’s decision to delete Recall for Windows PCs is the latest in a string of strange errors that have sparked criticism as the software giant rushes to add AI technologies to its product line. Last year, the business restricted an AI chatbot it put to its Bing search engine after users reported receiving a succession of uncomfortable messages and occasionally incorrect responses to search requests.
Copilot Plus PCs are advertised with a set of features that reflect Microsoft’s most recent AI work. The PCs have a neural processing unit, or NPU chip, which powers functions such as improved photo editing, real-time transcription and translation for video and audio, and recall.
Microsoft touted Recall as an AI tool that would let you keep track of what you’d been doing and navigate back to a website, document, or app you’d previously worked on. However, privacy experts swiftly voiced concerns, warning that other people who have physical access to a specific machine may possibly have access to that information. Microsoft promised adjustments, including disabling Recall by default and requiring additional biometric “Windows Hello” authentication to enable or utilize the service. Nonetheless, the corporation received severe criticism.
Microsoft’s initiatives come just days after Apple announced a slew of AI improvements for its iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. The company said the capabilities, which are part of what it calls Apple Intelligence, were created with privacy in mind, ensuring that data viewed and analyzed by the AI will not be kept or tracked. Apple has also invited security experts to evaluate its technology, which it believes will become a “new standard” in the industry. The business intends to release a test version of its Apple Intelligence software this fall.