Microsoft adds AI button to keyboards to call up chatbot

Microsoft (MSFT.O) said it is adding a button to its Windows keyboard that would pull up the tech giant’s Copilot service, in the first change for the device in nearly three decades.

The “Copilot key”, announced on Thursday, marks the latest effort by the company, which is investing billions in AI, to incorporate the technology in its products.

The addition of the key underscores the Redmond, Washington-based company’s ambitions for AI-enabled PCs.

These machines work on advanced chips capable of running large-language models and apps powered by the technology directly on the device instead of the cloud.

Analysts say the introduction of AI PCs could help the personal computer market bounce back after its post-pandemic slump, with research firm Canalys expecting the adoption of AI-capable PCs to speed up from 2025 onwards.

The button will be seen on some new Windows 11 PCs in the run-up to and at the CES technology trade show, set to be held in Las Vegas later this month, Microsoft said.

The key will be available sometime after February this year, including on upcoming Surface devices.

Introduced in November, Copilot – which can perform various tasks, such as summarizing text and virtual meetings – works across Microsoft’s web and productivity apps.