Microsoft has a new experiment for its web browser. Copilot Mode in Edge is an AI-powered mode which is perfect for anyone who wants to completely embrace artificial intelligence when browsing the web.
For anyone who feels that AI is already difficult to avoid, there is good news. Copilot Mode in Edge is optional, so you are not obliged to use it even if you have made Microsoft Edge your browser of choice.
Microsoft bills Copilot Mode in Edge as a “new way to browse the web”, and puts it forward as an answer to the hypothetical question “is your browser working for you as much as it should?”. There is the unasked question of whether you want your browser to be doing anything on its own, but asking this would make it harder to push AI into Edge. So we find ourselves presented with Copilot Mode in Edge – so what does this mean?
The description Microsoft puts forward for Copilot Mode in Edge will be some people’s idea of heaven, and many people’s idea of hell:
With Copilot Mode on, you enable innovative AI features in Edge that enhance your browser. It doesn’t just wait idly for you to click but anticipates what you might want to do next. It doesn’t just give you endless tabs to sift through but works with you as a collaborator that makes sense of it all. It keeps you browsing, cuts through clutter and removes friction to unlock your flow – all built to the highest Microsoft standards of security, privacy and performance trusted by billions of people and businesses worldwide – with you as the user always in control.
Context is what Copilot Mode in Edge promised, and in turn this is supposed to improve speed and efficiency. By giving Copilot permission to access all of your open tabs, Microsoft promises that when you conduct searches, the AI will have a better understanding of what you’re looking for and will therefore be able to provide more useful information.
Control the web with Copilot Mode in Edge
The ability to use voice control for navigation and searching is something that will be welcomed by many. It allows for a more natural means of interaction without having to typed.
Microsoft gives the following example:
With your permission, you can let Copilot see all your open tabs so it can understand the full context of what you’re exploring online. This means better comparisons, faster decisions and less tab toggling. For example, when researching vacation rentals across multiple sites, chat with Copilot to quickly identify which option is closest to the beach and includes a full kitchen – saving time and reducing friction.
If this sounds like a privacy nightmare, it is likely to get worse in the future (although, Microsoft says “your privacy and security continue to be our utmost priority”). Microsoft has plans to provide Copilot Mode in Edge with even great context through even more information:
Coming soon, you will be able to give Copilot permission to access the additional browser context it needs, such as your history and credentials, to take more advanced and seamless actions – like booking reservations or managing errands on your behalf. Imagine simply asking, “Find me a paddleboard rental near work,” and Copilot not only finds the best option, but checks the weather, makes the booking and even suggests sunscreen or tutorial videos to help you prepare.
As this is an experiment, what you see at the moment may very well change before Copilot Mode in Edge is fully launched (assuming it is). But it also something that you will have to opt in to. If it’s something that sounds interesting, you can head over to aka.ms/copilot-mode to try Copilot Mode today.
More information about Copilot Mode in Edge is available here.
