Microsoft is reportedly planning to integrate its AI Copilot in Windows 10 as part of a sweeping new update, according to reports.
The decision to roll out its AI Copilot for Windows 10 users could prove vital in its push to boost adoption of the AI assistant.
The move will see Windows 10 users given access to a Copilot button on the taskbar, enabling them to access the tool to support a range of tasks, according to Windows Central.
Copilot capabilities on Windows 10 are expected to be “roughly the same” as on Windows 11, the publication said. This will also include plugin compatibility across both versions of the operating system.
Copilot officially rolled out on the operating system in November 2023 as part of the Windows 11 version 23H2 update.
Sources told Windows Central the update is part of an effort to capitalize on the significant market share that Windows 10 still holds.
The move could allow Microsoft to get more eyes on the AI Copilot by drawing on a far larger user base. At present, Windows 11 boasts around 400 million monthly active devices globally, whereas Windows 10 is still in use on around one billion devices.
The resounding popularity of Windows 10 has proven difficult for Microsoft to overcome in its efforts to push users to the newer OS following its launch in October 2021.
Sources told Windows Central that the move will also give Microsoft an “easier time selling developers on the idea that they should build plugins for Copilot” given it will be available to users of both operating systems.
Windows 10 AI Copilot looks to target enterprise users
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Copilot represents billions of dollars of potential revenue for Microsoft. The firm has gone all in on AI throughout its stack to stay ahead of competitors, having spent billions supporting OpenAI in return for the use of the AI developer’s models.
This bet has paid off, as customer anticipation for Copilot lifted Azure revenues in the firm’s Q1 2024, and Microsoft has leant ever more heavily into the importance of generative AI as a cornerstone of the new Windows experience.
The full release of the AI Assistant on Windows 11 was a moment for which the firm had spent a full year preparing, with gradual releases and teases of products across the Copilot range such as GitHub Copilot, as well as Bing and Edge Copilot.
It makes sense that Microsoft would want to provide the large number of users clinging onto Windows 10 a taste of what they are currently missing with Copilot for Windows 11.
Rory Bathgate is Features & Multimedia Editor at ITPro, leading our in-depth content and case studies. He can also be found co-hosting the ITPro Podcast with Jane McCallion, swapping a keyboard for a microphone to discuss the latest learnings with thought leaders from across the tech sector.
Because the processing for Copilot is fulfilled entirely in the cloud, there are no hardware requirements that would hold back even older Windows 10 machines from enjoying the benefits of the AI assistant.
Windows 10 is set to hit its end of life (EOL) in 2025, so between now and then the firm has a little over a year to convince users who might otherwise switch to MacOS or Linux that there are powerful reasons to stick with Windows in the form of Windows 11.
Microsoft could particularly target the Windows 10 Enterprise crowd, who could be swayed by the ease of use for Copilot in Windows and subsequently look into the more powerful features of Microsoft 365 Copilot for their business.
Questions around end of life support are being considered by figures at Microsoft, according to Windows Central. Internal discussions are ongoing over whether this could be extended if the roll-out of Copilot on the operating system proves popular.
