In its latest blog, Microsoft said it will introduce a new Copilot key on many PC and laptop keyboards from partners, allowing quick access to the Windows Copilot AI assistant with just the press of a button.

The Copilot key is the first major change to the Windows keyboard layout in nearly three decades. “Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to PC keyboards to help people around the world interact with Windows,” Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft executive vice president and chief consumer marketing officer, wrote in a blog post. “We see it as another transformational moment in our journey with Windows, where Copilot is the entry point to the world of AI on the PC.”

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The Copilot key is located next to the Alt key on the right. (Photo: Microsoft)

The new Copilot key will replace the menu key next to the Windows key. It will be located right next to the ALT key on most keyboards. It is in the same position as the Office key on Microsoft's own keyboards. When pressed, it will launch Windows Copilot, which is built into Windows 11, providing a chatbot similar to ChatGPT to answer questions or perform actions on the computer.

If Windows Copilot isn’t available in your country, the Copilot key will open Windows Search instead. While the Windows key can currently open the start menu or be combined with other keys to act as shortcuts to Windows features, the Copilot key isn’t as versatile as it could be. It’s unclear what Microsoft’s plans are for the future.

Microsoft isn’t saying which companies will add the Copilot key to their keyboards, but will announce it at CES next week. According to Mehdi, we’ll start seeing the Copilot key on new Windows 11 PCs from ecosystem partners starting in late January and through the spring, including Surface devices.

Microsoft is rumored to launch the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 in the spring. According to The Verge, it seems the Windows maker wants to put Copilot in everything, and the Copilot key is just one of the larger changes planned for Windows in 2024.

“This year, we will usher 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 chip, to the hardware,” Mehdi said. “This will not only simplify people’s computing experience, but amplify it, making 2024 the year of PC AI.”

In early 2024, Microsoft called its Edge browser “the AI ​​browser.” The company has been adding more and more AI features to the browser. The “AI browser” name appears on the iOS and Android versions of the app. If you search for Edge in the App Store, you’ll likely see ads highlighting all of its AI features.

(According to The Verge)