Microsoft’s next huge Windows 11 feature update, code-named Windows 11 23H2, has a big addition: artificial intelligence. Microsoft is readying for the era of the AI PC with the addition of Windows Copilot, powered by Bing Chat. The update debuted on Sept. 26 in preview form before its wider release in the fourth quarter, when it will be called the Windows 11 2023 Update.
It’s the closest thing to a theme that we’ve seen within a Windows 11 update in some time. AI will power Windows Copilot, of course, but also recommended files in File Explorer and Start as well as a designated AI-specific section within the Microsoft Store app. You should also expect various small improvements across Windows in terms of both ease of use and functional updates, like the ability to restore apps from a backup.
Microsoft unveiled the new update during press event on Sept. 21 in New York, showcasing some of these new features. However, there’s a small twist: The features that are coming to Windows 11 arrived first in an update to the current version of Windows 11, Windows 11 22H2. Windows 11 23H2 will then roll out in the fourth quarter as a cumulative update that rolls up all of the new features. What does this mean to you? Not a whole lot, but the point is that you probably won’t see all of these features right away.
