How Microsoft Copilot’s 12 Updates Achieve Human-Centred AI

Technology companies are innovating to differentiate their chatbot products as enterprises implement AI – yet a less discussed consequence of the AI boom is mounting concern about its impact on human connection and wellbeing. 

In response, Microsoft AI has released its Copilot Fall Release with features designed to tackle this issue head-on.

The release includes 12 new features for Copilot, Microsoft’s large language model (LLM)-based assistant. 

The updates set up Copilot as what Microsoft describes as an AI companion rather than a replacement for human interaction – a distinction the company is keen to emphasise.

“We’re dropping the Copilot Fall Release, a big step forward in making AI more personal, useful and human-centered,” says Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI. 

“There’s a lot of noise around AI. Headlines, hype, fear. At Microsoft AI, we want to change the outlook.”

Inside Microsoft Copilot’s new features 

The features mark what Mustafa characterises as a deliberate departure from extractive technology design, where systems optimise for user attention and screen time rather than wellbeing.

“We’re betting on optimism in a time of cynicism,” he says. “Instead of tech that demands more attention, we’re making tech that gives you back time for the things that matter. 

“Instead of AI that replaces human judgment, we’re building AI that empowers your own.”

Central to the release is Groups, which allows up to 32 people to interact with Copilot simultaneously in a shared session. 

Users can invite participants through a link, with the system summarising conversation threads, proposing options and distributing tasks among group members.

The feature targets collaborative writing, planning and study sessions – putting Microsoft in direct competition with established collaboration tools.

“Some companies will optimise fully for 1:1 engagement – but with Copilot we’re focusing on an AI that understands the importance of keeping us connected to real people,” Mustafa says. 

Microsoft states it is also developing metrics to measure what it calls social intelligence, tracking how the system elevates group conversations rather than simply logging engagement time.

As a result, the company has introduced memory capabilities that retain user information across sessions, addressing one of the persistent frustrations with chatbot interactions. 

The Memory & Personalization feature allows users to instruct Copilot to remember specific details, from training schedules to personal milestones, which the assistant recalls in future interactions. 

Users can edit or delete stored information at any point, a crucial privacy consideration.

“Technology should work in the service of people. Not the other way around. Ever,” Mustafa says. 

“That’s the principle behind Copilot. In this, it’s not just a product – it’s a promise.”

Now, the system includes connectors linking to services including OneDrive, Outlook, Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar. 

These products, from Microsoft and Alphabet Incorporated respectively, allow users to search across accounts through natural language queries. 

Furthermore, Microsoft requires explicit consent before accessing data, though critics have questioned whether such integrations create vendor dependencies.

What makes Copilot for health stand out 

Microsoft has also developed Copilot for health, which grounds responses to health queries in sources including Harvard Health, a publication from Harvard Medical School. 

The tool matches users with doctors based on specialty, location and language preferences, addressing what Microsoft identifies as one of the most common uses for AI chatbots. 

Therefore, this move puts Microsoft in competition with established health information providers.

Meanwhile, Learn Live introduces voice-enabled tutoring that guides users through concepts using questions rather than direct answers, a method Microsoft describes as Socratic. 

The Socratic method involves teaching through questions to encourage critical thinking. 

The feature includes interactive whiteboards and visual cues, positioning education as an area where AI can support rather than replace human learning.

Microsoft has additionally introduced Mico, a visual character that appears during voice interactions with Copilot. 

Named after Microsoft Copilot, the character changes colours and displays expressions in response to user interactions, creating what Microsoft describes as a warmer experience. 

The feature is optional, though early reactions suggest it may prove divisive among users.

Copilot Mode in Edge, Microsoft’s web browser, allows the assistant to analyse open browser tabs, summarise information and perform actions including form completion. 

On Windows 11, Microsoft’s operating system, Copilot responds to the wake word “Hey Copilot” when enabled, with access to recent files and conversations. 

The voice activation brings desktop AI control closer to the ambient computing experiences other manufacturers have attempted.

The features are rolling out in the US, United Kingdom, Canada and other markets. 

Users can access Copilot through applications for iOS and Android, operating systems from Apple Incorporated and Alphabet respectively, or through web browsers at copilot.microsoft.com.

“It’s in this context that we talk about an AI companion,” Mustafa says. 

“It helps you think, plan and dream, but always on your terms. It adapts to your needs and context, remembers what matters to you and learns from your feedback. 

“As we build this, we’re not chasing engagement or optimizing for screen time. We’re building AI that gets you back to your life.”