It’s no secret that Microsoft is betting big on artificial intelligence, most recently launching a mobile app version of its Copilot AI bot. Now Microsoft has announced its latest AI innovation: a dedicated Copilot key on the Windows 11 keyboard.
The Copilot key is the first major change to the keyboard layout for Windows computers in nearly three decades.
“Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key on PC keyboards, allowing people around the world to interact with Windows. We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows, where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of artificial intelligence on the PC,” said Yusuf Mehdi, vice president and director of consumer marketing at Microsoft.
The new Copilot key will replace the menu key, which is located next to the right Alt on most keyboards. Pressing this key will launch the built-in AI assistant in Windows 11, which runs in the style of a ChatGPT chatbot and can answer various questions and also perform some actions inside Windows. If Copilot is not yet available in the user’s region, pressing the Copilot key will launch Windows Search. It is currently unknown whether the Copilot key will be able to be used in combination with other keys in a similar way to the Windows key.
You can already access Copilot in both Windows 11 and Windows 10 through the taskbar or Start menu, or by pressing Win+C on your keyboard. The next time you upgrade to a new Windows 11 laptop or desktop, all it takes is one keystroke.
