Microsoft postpones launch of its controversial AI feature 'Recall'
What's the story
Microsoft has announced a delay in the release of its Recall feature, designed for the upcoming Copilot+ PCs.
The tech giant has decided to postpone the launch for further testing.
In a blog post, Microsoft said that "when Recall (preview) becomes available in the Windows Insider Program, we will publish a blog post with details on how to get the preview."
This means that even Windows Insiders and early buyers of Copilot+ PCs will not have initial access to Recall.
Feature upgrades
Recall feature to undergo security enhancements
Microsoft has acknowledged the need for more time to test and implement security improvements for the Recall feature.
The decision was made to ensure that the experience meets Microsoft's standards for quality and security.
The company had recently committed to three major updates for Recall, including making it an opt-in feature, encrypting its database, and requiring authentication through Windows Hello.
Security first
Microsoft's commitment to security emphasized
The decision to delay Recall's release follows Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith's testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee.
Smith emphasized that Microsoft is prioritizing security above all else as part of its Secure Future Initiative (SFI).
He stated, "It is more important even than the company's work on artificial intelligence."
Smith also announced that cybersecurity will now be a mandatory part of Microsoft's bi-annual reviews process for all employees.
Concerns
Recall's development and security concerns
Recall, unveiled last month as part of the new Copilot+ PCs, uses local AI models built into Windows 11 to screenshot almost everything a user does on their computer.It keeps track of everything you see and do on your computer, allowing you to search and retrieve anything you've done on the device.
It was not publicly tested with Windows Insiders, and Microsoft only recently started to address identified security issues.