Microsoft Copilot Just Got Its Own Version Of Clippy And New Collaborative Chats

Microsoft wants to make Copilot more personal, and the way it's trying to accomplish that is by introducing an animated character for users to talk to when using the AI chatbot. The new character looks to be a modern take on Clippy — the iconic character that used to appear in Microsoft Office apps before its retirement in 2007. Mico — which Microsoft says is a play on Microsoft Copilot — is an "expressive, customizable, and warm" virtual presence, the company claims. It's optional, though MIcrosoft notes that Mico will respond to your commentary with visual reactions like expressions and color changes.

Overall, Mico's arrival seems to be about making Copilot feel more personable and less like a robot — something people have admonished ChatGPT about following recent updates, though Sam Altman says that will change as OpenAI rolls back some of its most controversial ChatGPT changes. Mico is supposed to roll out soon, and the announcement says the character may already be available to users in the Copilot app when using Copilot Voice.

Beyond the introduction of Mico, Microsoft is leaning more into personalization by offering different conversational styles, including a new "real talk" option that provides what the company calls a "collaborative model" that can "adapt to your vibe" and "help conversations spark growth and connection." How that will look in practice remains to be seen, as Microsoft didn't provide any further details.

Other changes that you can expect to see in Copilot soon include a larger memory pool, as well as the option to connect other users to your Copilot chats by inviting them to write, code, and brainstorm on whatever you're working on. You can see the invitation system in action in the video above. For example, Copilot will soon be able to recall information about things like anniversaries, marathons, and other things you train it on — even going so far as to bring those subjects up in future interactions. Beyond these personalized approaches, Microsoft is also introducing "Copilot for health," which is refers to as an "AI companion" designed to help provide credible sources on health information.

The new system will also be able to connect you to the "right doctors" quickly, using information like your location and language to help find a doctor just for you. All of this is an expansion of Microsoft's ongoing plans to put Copilot at the center of your PC. These functionalities may also be ways for Copilot to distance itself from OpenAI, as Copilot already offers some features ChatGPT doesn't.

Of course, the introduction of Mico might also just spur users to look for other ways to remove Copilot from Windows entirely. But, hey, that's all part of user choice. You can read more about all of the changes coming to Copilot on Microsoft's blog.