Microsoft said it will allow Windows testers to try out its controversial Recall AI feature in October. It takes screenshots of activity on screen so people can search for information they saw earlier. When it was announced, security researchers expressed concerns about the risks of the operating system automatically capturing images. The company responded in June and said the feature will be turned off by default.
“With a commitment to delivering a trustworthy and secure Recall (preview) experience on Copilot Plus PCs for customers, we’re sharing an update that Recall will be available to Windows Insiders starting in October,” said Windows and Surface chief Pavan Davuluri in a blog post.
The company has not announced a broader release for Windows computers that meet system requirements, which Microsoft says are Copilot+ PCs or those that can run AI workloads.
The feature uses local AI models built into Windows 11 to screenshot almost everything you see or do on your computer and then give you the ability to search and retrieve items you’ve seen.
Device manufacturers want to show that people can run AI models on their local PCs without relying on Cloud-based servers. Apple has already released MacBooks that can run AI models, and Microsoft’s newest Surface Pro is a Copilot+ PC that can also run local AI.
