Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it will kill Cortana in Windows as a standalone app in late 2023. It is important to note that this change affects only Windows. Cortana will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms.
Cortana app on Windows allowed users to use natural language to connect with people, manage your schedule, find a free hour, set a reminder, add a task, and more. It also allowed users to find local information, get definitions, and keep track of the latest news, weather, and finance updates.
Instead of clicking the Cortana icon and launching the app for AI assistance, Microsoft now recommends users to use the following for AI assistance:
- Voice access in Windows 11: This is a new feature in Windows 11 that lets you control your PC and write text using your voice. You can use voice commands to open and switch between apps, browse the web, and read and write emails. Voice access works offline and uses advanced speech recognition to understand your speech and help you get things done.
- The new Bing: The new AI-powered Bing lets you ask complex questions and get concise answers from reliable sources on the web. You can type or speak your questions and Bing Chat will give you a succinct answer citing multiple trusted sources.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: This is a new feature that uses AI to turn your words into a powerful productivity tool. Copilot uses your Microsoft 365 data—such as your calendar, emails, chats, documents, and meetings—to help you create, edit, share content, and more.
- Windows Copilot: Available in preview for Windows 11 in June, Windows Copilot provides centralized AI assistance. Together, with Bing Chat and first- and third-party plugins, you can focus on bringing your ideas to life, completing complex projects, and collaborating instead of spending energy finding, launching, and working across multiple applications.
We know that this change may affect some of the ways you work in Windows, so we want to help you transition smoothly to the new options. – Microsoft
