Microsoft: ‘ever present’ AI assistants are coming.

Microsoft’s head of AI, Mustafa Suleyman, predicts that AI assistants with advanced long-term memory are about a year away. These assistants will remember conversations and tasks, encouraging users to invest more time and personal information. While supporters argue this deep integration makes AI more useful, critics raise concerns about privacy, data security, bias, and the potential for misinformation.

Suleyman compared AI integration to how people already use recording devices, such as smartphones and smart TVs. He emphasized the importance of trust and control over technology, suggesting user expectations around privacy are evolving.

Microsoft has invested heavily in AI, with products like CoPilot and Pi showing promise, but adoption rates vary. While AI’s growth has been rapid, Suleyman rejected claims that it might be a passing trend. Microsoft continues to develop new AI tools, though some, like the Recall feature, have faced privacy-related delays.

Microsoft is positioning itself as a leader in the AI race, investing billions in OpenAI and integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into its products. The company recently expanded its CoPilot assistant with features such as voice functionality, a daily news digest, and a new Think Deeper mode for complex queries. Another tool, CoPilot Vision, aims to assist users with online activities by observing web pages, though Microsoft insists it won’t store or record data. Vision will only work on select sites and requires manual activation, with no set release date.

Despite AI’s rapid growth, public adoption has been inconsistent. A Reuters Institute poll showed that while 29% of UK respondents had used ChatGPT, only 2% did so daily. Suleyman acknowledged that AI tools might not achieve the global ubiquity of smartphones, but he remains optimistic about their potential. Even with some resistance, he believes AI offers unparalleled benefits, such as providing personalized, low-cost knowledge at scale.