Windows 10: Windows 11: controversial Recall AI-feature is making a comeback in latest build

When Microsoft announced the AI-feature Recall last year, it rode on a wave of positive AI news and coverage. Copilot was taking off and integration of AI features in Windows and other products had started already.

What Microsoft did not expect was the feedback that it received when it announced Recall. To better understand why, it is necessary to look at the initial functionality of the feature.

Recall was designed as a tool for users to better interact and go back to activities of the past. Recall would take snapshots of the screen regularly, use metadata and AI to analyse the activity, and allow users to interact with AI regarding it.

You could ask Recall to list all websites about a certain topic that you opened in the past, ask it about the whereabouts of a specific document that you forgot the name of but can describe, or summarize last week's activity on the PC.

Criticism: Recall was criticized heavily. Key points included that Recall was opt-out, which meant that it would run automatically on user systems, that the information that it collected was not secured properly, that its database would become a high-value target for malicious actors, and that Microsoft did not run public tests.

Microsoft postponed the launch as a consequence, stating that it would go back to the drawing board to address the concern.

The company published information about the revised Recall feature in late September 2024. This new version would be opt-in and the data that the AI collects would be protected better.

Recall is making a comeback


Microsoft released a new Release Preview build for Windows 11 yesterday. This build, 26100.3902, rolls out Recall gradually. It is labeled as a preview version and only available for Copilot+ PCs.

Here is how Microsoft describes the feature: "With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it’s now possible to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content."

Microsoft says that users need to opt-in to start using Recall and also enroll in Windows Hello. Doing so will start the creation of snapshots of the system's screen.

Users are always in control, according to Microsoft. They can pause or delete saved snapshots at any time.

Windows Hello authentication kicks in whenever Recall is launched on the system to use it to find previous content. Found content can be re-opened or combined with the Click to Do-feature. This allows users to "take immediate action" on what is shown on the screen.

Closing Words


Recall is only available for Copilot+ PCs. Good news is that it is opt-in, which means that you do not have to worry about it too much anymore, if you do not plan on using it. Is it the key-feature that Microsoft aimed for to push AI to the next level? Probably not. While it may have its used in work environments and other specialized environments, it seems unlikely that the majority of regular Windows users will find it overly useful.

Now You: do you plan to use Recall on your Windows PCs or a similar feature, such as Google's Chat Recall feature, on other devices? Feel free to leave a comment down below to join the discussion.

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Windows 11: controversial Recall AI-feature is making a comeback in latest build appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

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How do I opt out of the new Recall AI feature

Hi there, I was wondering if I could get an explanation for how to opt out of the new recall ai feature due to the security and privacy issues that it will cause. will there be an opt out option in windows 11 in the settings. if not, what are the legal ramifications for this breach in personal privacy for the use of training an ai off of personal information. How does this new feature know whether or not you are posting important private information like passwords, social security numbers, bank statements, etc.

 

Windows Direction, CoPilot, AI and Recall

Dear Support, no response to this question is required. I simply want to provide Microsoft with some customer feedback.

Like many others you've been hearing from, I intensely dislike the direction MS is going with their new and "improved" features such as CoPilot, CoCreator (indeed, ANY AI features built in to the operating system, and Recall.

Let's take CoCreator first. This is, at first glance, a neat feature. Input a rough sketch, and the software produces detailed images. For someone who's not a talented artist, this is great. But...what if the intended use is for publication? AI images and AI-assisted "original" creations can't be copyrighted or sold for remuneration. The same applies to AI-generated text. Not to even mention that AI-generated text may be lucid, grammatical, and easy to read, while still, in most cases, being factually WRONG.

I don't want AI in my operating system. If I do want assistance from AI, I'll go to the AI's website, or install a specific app. An OS should be "user friendly", to be sure. But AI is far too apt to misinterpret what I want and go off in some totally unhelpful direction. I want my OS to do what I tell it: open an app, find a file, change a system setting, perform a housekeeping function. I don't want it second-guessing me. Windows has been getting worse at this, not better. For example, the OS often decides to store files in places it finds convenient, rather than places I find convenient. It displays files organized by date groups, when I want them displayed alphabetically. Adding AI to the mix will take it to a whole new level of frustration.

As for Recall, it's nice that MS is taking steps to make it easier to disable, such as having it turned off by default. However, this is nowhere near good enough. THE RECALL FEATURE SHOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED AT ALL. If you simply feel you must, it should be a separately-downloaded and installed plug in, it should NOT be an integral part of Windows. If it is simply disabled, no one will trust you not to change your policy and enable it in a future update. Or even have it turned on permanently. We don't trust you when you say "oh, it's local storage only". Even if you mean that, and never change your minds, it's a serious security vulnerability even if it is only stored locally.

We don't trust you not to peek. We don't trust our governments not to peek. We don't believe that no one else will figure out a way to peek. Heck, as I write this, that's already been done, and you haven't even released the damn thing yet. We don't want our PCs tracking everything we do, looking over our shoulders. If I want a backup of something, I'll make a backup. Me. Not my Big Brother of a PC. This is one reason why I am still running Windows 10 and have no intention of "upgrading" to Windows 11.

An OS should be a tool. Easy to use, transparent. It is not a partner, or a supervisor, or a parent. Unless Microsoft changes its current path of treating Windows users as products to be exploited, rather than customers, you will see your market share decline. Because there ARE alternatives.

As for me, I'm going to start learning Linux. Not easy at my age, but worth it to insure my privacy.

 

Introducing a big update to Windows 11 making the everyday easier including bringing the new AI-powered Bing to the taskbar

Introducing a big update to Windows 11 making the everyday easier including bringing the new AI-powered Bing to the taskbar | Windows Experience Blog

The following notes coincide with the Windows 11 22H2 update released on Feb 28th, 2023.

• New AI-powered Bing to the taskbar: A major update to Windows 11 that adds the new Bing in the taskbar and other features that make the PC more relevant and useful in the age of AI.
  

• Additional new Windows 11 features in the update, designed to make your everyday easier: More new features from across the team that aim to simplify and enhance various aspects of using Windows 11, such as connecting with phones, video calling, getting help and accessing widgets.
  

• Introducing Phone Link for iOS in preview: A preview of Phone Link for iOS that allows iPhone users to link their devices to their Windows 11 PCs and receive calls and texts without interruption.
  

• Android phone users get an even richer experience: Some improvements for Android users who use Phone Link, such as activating personal hotspot, transferring browser sessions and accessing recent websites from their phones on their PCs.
  

• Broadcast your best self, right when you need to with advanced AI: Windows Studio Effects, a collection of audio and video effects powered by advanced AI that enable users to customize their video calling experience with features like eye contact, background blur and voice focus. It also mentions some new devices that support these features.
  

• Connect in more ways with a simple click: Chat with Microsoft Teams integration that makes it easier for users to communicate with their contacts from their desktops on the taskbar. It also mentions a revamped signature experience that allows users to preview their video and jump straight into a call or share a call link through any app.
  

• Providing help is easier than ever with the redesigned Quick Assist app: Quick Assist app that helps users provide technical assistance to family and friends remotely. It also mentions some new capabilities like switching between screen sharing and full control and using a laser pointer to highlight things on screen.
  

• More of the news and information you care about is just a swipe away: Some new Widgets that deliver important information at a glance, such as Phone Link, Xbox Game Pass, Meta and Spotify. It also provides information on developer tools to create widgets for Windows customers.
  

• Enhancing your touch experience: Some enhancements for touch experiences on Windows 11 devices, such as touch controls for Snap, haptics feedback for virtual keyboard and voice typing with auto punctuation.