Microsoft has launched a new feature for the Windows 11 search bar, allowing users to perform searches using natural language and execute actions directly in the search field. This novelty not only facilitates file location but also allows control over the computer's own resources and interaction with Copilot.
The presentation of this update took place during the Surface line event held in San Francisco, United States. Furthermore, Microsoft introduced the concept of Hybrid Intelligence, a system that blends artificial intelligence models executed locally with processing performed in the cloud, depending on the specific need of the task.
According to Engadget, the rollout of this new search experience in Windows 11 is scheduled for the autumn of the Northern Hemisphere, a period extending until December. The Copilot features based on Hybrid Intelligence will be progressively made available to compatible PCs in the coming months.
Pavan Davuluri, Executive Vice President of Windows and Devices at Microsoft, demonstrated the new interface during the event. He clarified that users will have the ability to find content and perform actions from the same search field. Practical examples include adjusting microphone volume or enabling dark mode, adjustments that usually require manual intervention in system settings.
Another illustrative example showed how the search bar understands the user's request without needing an exact match. In the presented video, Windows managed to activate Do Not Disturb mode with just the simple command 'dnd on'.
The search functionality will also have access to functions of devices connected to the computer. If there is a synced phone, for example, the user can request sending a message without having to open a separate application.
Copilot will be natively integrated into the search bar, even though there is a dedicated application for it in Windows. Davuluri emphasized that this move aims to 'make AI part of daily life, bringing it to the places people use most, in the flow of human ambition.'
During the event, Microsoft detailed Hybrid Intelligence, a mechanism designed to decide whether an AI task should be processed by local models, running directly on the computer's hardware, or by models hosted in the cloud. The main goal is to optimize token usage, directing more complex tasks to online tools.
With this feature enabled, the Copilot application is authorized to consult files and interact with the machine's settings and other programs. Although more elaborate tasks must still be sent to the cloud, those involving private files or having high processing costs will be executed internally on the PC.
The company also announced that this architecture will be accessible to developers creating applications for Windows. The execution of local agents will be isolated through Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), a technology that establishes segregated environments to restrict these systems' access to other parts of the computer while tasks are underway.
Additionally, Microsoft showcased the functionality with Autopilot, an agent capable of executing tasks from documents stored on the computer. As reported by Engadget, all processing demonstrated in this example was done locally, without the documents being sent to the internet.