Microsoft’s aggressive push to embed AI throughout Windows 11 may finally be hitting the brakes. Following sustained backlash from power users and the wider Windows community, the company is now reconsidering how — and where — artificial intelligence should appear inside the operating system.
According to an exclusive report from Windows Central, internal teams at Microsoft are actively reviewing several high-profile AI features, including Copilot placements and the troubled Windows Recall experience.
Copilot overload meets user resistance
The turning point arguably began with Windows Recall. Introduced as a flagship AI feature in 2024, Recall was meant to act as a searchable timeline of everything you’ve done on your PC. Instead, it triggered immediate privacy and security concerns, forcing Microsoft to delay the feature by nearly a year.
Since then, Copilot buttons have appeared across core Windows apps such as Notepad, Paint, and File Explorer - often with limited functionality and little explanation. For many users, this felt less like innovation and more like clutter.
That frustration peaked publicly when Windows president Pavan Davuluri described Windows as evolving into an “agentic OS,” sparking thousands of negative responses across social platforms.
Microsoft quietly changes course
Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans say that feedback has landed. The company is now reviewing existing Copilot integrations, particularly in built-in apps, with several outcomes on the table:
- Some Copilot features may be removed entirely
- Others could lose Copilot branding in favor of quieter, contextual tools
- Additional Copilot buttons in system apps are reportedly paused for now
While this pause isn’t expected to be permanent, Microsoft appears to be shifting toward a more deliberate, less intrusive rollout strategy.
Recall may survive - but not as it is
Windows Recall is also under scrutiny. Internally, Microsoft reportedly views its current implementation as a failure. Rather than abandoning the idea outright, the company is exploring ways to rework the concept, potentially even dropping the Recall name altogether.
No final decisions have been confirmed, but the message is clear: Recall, as users know it today, isn’t meeting expectations.
AI stays - just not everywhere
Despite the pullback, Microsoft isn’t abandoning AI on Windows. Behind-the-scenes initiatives like:
- Windows ML
- Windows AI APIs
- Semantic Search
- Agentic Workspace
are continuing as planned. These efforts are largely invisible to users but are meant to give developers better tools and keep Windows competitive with other AI-focused platforms.
The difference now is emphasis. Microsoft appears to be moving away from visible, forced AI surfaces and toward foundational capabilities that actually enhance apps when needed.
A rare moment of listening
For many Windows users, this shift feels overdue. Scaling back Copilot clutter and rethinking Recall suggests Microsoft is finally responding to criticism rather than doubling down on it.
Whether this marks a lasting change or a temporary reset remains to be seen. But for now, Windows 11 looks set to become a little quieter - and perhaps a little more user-focused - in how it handles AI.
The big question is whether Microsoft can rebuild trust while still delivering meaningful AI features. This course correction may be the first real step in that direction.
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☞ El artículo completo original de Arthur Kay lo puedes ver aquí