Microsoft announced that starting in August 2023, it will discontinue support for the Cortana app as a standalone feature in Windows, as we posted earlier. However, users can still access powerful AI capabilities for productivity in Windows and Edge.
The changes mean users can still receive assistance with tasks, calendar management, and emails through different tools. Cortana will remain available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms.
To ease the transition, Microsoft offers alternative resources for users. Windows 11 introduces “Voice access,” a new feature that allows users to control their PCs and write text using voice commands, working offline with advanced speech recognition.
Moreover, the new AI-powered Bing provides concise answers from trusted web sources to complex questions through Bing Chat, where users can type or speak their queries.
Microsoft 365 Copilot, a new AI feature, leverages users’ Microsoft 365 data like calendars, emails, chats, documents, and meetings to assist in content creation, editing, and sharing while adhering to strict AI principles and privacy standards.
Additionally, the Windows Copilot, available for preview in Windows 11 from June, offers centralized AI assistance with Bing Chat and first- and third-party plugins, streamlining collaboration and project completion across applications.
The changes may impact how users work in Windows. Still, Microsoft aims to ensure a smooth transition with new tools and functionalities.
