NandiniRoy Choudhury, writer
Brief news
- Microsoft will begin testing its Recall artificial intelligence search feature with Windows users in October.
- Recall captures screenshots of screen activity to facilitate the retrieval of previously observed information.
- Microsoft has prioritized security and will assess cybersecurity contributions in employee evaluations.
Detailed news
Microsoft made a statement on Wednesday that it will begin testing its controversial Recall artificial intelligence search feature with Windows users in October.
In order to facilitate the retrieval of previously observed information, Recall captures screenshots of screen activity. Security researchers promptly voiced their apprehensions regarding the potential hazards of Windows’ automatic image capture, which occurs without user consent. Open-source software was released by researchers to demonstrate the ease with which personal information could be accessed by attackers. In June, Microsoft responded by announcing that Recall would be disabled by default. It also pledged to improve the security of the feature.
Microsoft did not provide a specific date for the broader distribution of the Recall feature for Windows computers that meet the system requirements, which the company refers to as Copilot+ PCs. At an event in May, Microsoft introduced a new category of Windows PCs from a variety of device manufacturers that are capable of running AI workloads. They also demonstrated Recall operating on these PCs.
Device manufacturers are eager to demonstrate that individuals can execute AI models on their personal computers, as opposed to relying on cloud-based servers from OpenAI or other organizations to fulfill their requests. Apple
MacBooks that are capable of running AI models have been released, and Microsoft’s most recent Surface Pro is a Copilot+ PC that can also run local AI.
The timing of the widespread distribution of Recall may be crucial. The holiday season may generate increased consumer interest in purchasing new computers if Microsoft implements Recall on all devices that support it by that time.
In an update to a June blog post, Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Recall will be available to Windows Insiders starting in October. This announcement is in line with the company’s dedication to providing customers with a secure and trustworthy Recall (preview) experience on Copilot+ PCs. “As previously communicated on June 13, we have modified our release strategy to capitalize on the valuable expertise of our Windows Insider community before releasing Recall to all Copilot+ PCs.”
The rank-and-file engineers at Microsoft have prioritized security. The company will assess cybersecurity contributions in employee evaluations that will be considered when determining pay during the current fiscal year, which commenced on July 1. After a Department of Homeland Security report in April cited several concerns regarding China’s intrusion of U.S. government officials’ Microsoft-based email accounts, the company pledged to improve its security procedures.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, informed analysts during a conference call in July that security remains the top priority.
Source : CNBC News
