Microsoft loves Windows.
As the very thing that initially made Microsoft the Microsoft the world knows, Windows, the ubiquitous operating system, powers so many computers around the world that literally, the world revolves with it.
The product is so inseparable that a lot of keyboards embed a Windows icon on them.
But this time, Windows is seemingly becoming less of a focus.
Since the rise in Large Language Models and generative AI products around the world, Microsoft has been pushing its own AI product it calls Copilot.
Read: Microsoft Rebrands Its Bing Chat To Copilot, And Creates A Dedicated App For It
To show how much it now loves the AI product, the company is adding its AI chatbot icon to some Windows keyboards.
That, in order to empower users, and the world, to be part of what the company called "the AI transformation."
Starting January 2024, Microsoft has given some personal computers with the Windows 11 operating system redesigned keyboards with a "Copilot key."
Pressing this key will launch the Microsoft’s AI companion, as explained by Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, in a blog post.
In other words, Microsoft wants users to be able to summon its AI-powered assistant with just the click of a button.
The new key marks the first major redesign to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades, "making 2024 the year of the AI PC," according to Mehdi.
"Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard that enabled people all over the world to interact with Windows," the executive said.
"We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC."
It's worth noting that Microsoft's decision to promote Copiot by making it a top-level, is a notable decision because it's a push towards making OEMs to follow.
In the past, the company has tinkered with repurposing the Windows and Menu keys at various times, like introducing a dedicated Office and Emoji keys, but none of them were significant.
"In this new year, we will be ushering in a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system, to the silicon, to the hardware. This will not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it, making 2024 the year of the AI PC," the executive added.
Long story short, the key ultimately "make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day."
Initially, Microsoft didn't way anything about which devices and brands shall have the Copilot key, but said that the key is expected to become available to users later in January, with notable products include its own line of devices, including its upcoming Surface devices.
Microsoft is unveiling the Copilot key at the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas.