Microsoft has rolled out a significant update to its AI assistant, Copilot, as part of its Fall Update event on Thursday, introducing new features designed to make the chatbot more personal, intelligent, and interactive. The update brings a new animated character named Mico, an enhanced Copilot Mode in Microsoft Edge, long-term memory capabilities, and integration with third-party platforms like Google Drive and Gmail.
A More Personal Copilot: Meet Mico
At the centre of the update is Mico, a new animated avatar giving Copilot a visual identity for the first time. Short for Microsoft Copilot, Mico responds with facial expressions, gestures, and colour changes during voice chats, aiming to make interactions feel more natural and empathetic. Microsoft described the feature as a step towards making AI “more supportive and relatable.”
‘Real Talk’ and Group Conversations
A new ‘Real Talk’ mode has been added to encourage more engaging discussions. Instead of always agreeing with users, Copilot will now gently challenge assumptions and adapt its tone to match conversational styles, helping users think more critically.
Another social feature, Groups, turns Copilot into a collaborative workspace. Users can share conversation links with up to 32 participants, allowing them to brainstorm, vote, and split tasks collectively while the chatbot summarises discussions and keeps the group aligned.
Copilot Gets Long-Term Memory
The Fall Update introduces long-term memory, enabling Copilot to remember key user details and preferences for future interactions. This memory can be viewed, edited, or deleted anytime under the Memory & Personalisation settings. The AI can also reference past conversations, helping users maintain continuity without re-explaining previous topics.
Integration with Third-Party Data Hubs
Microsoft has added shared memory via connectors, allowing Copilot to access and search data across popular platforms such as OneDrive, Outlook, Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar. This integration helps users locate documents, emails, and events seamlessly from within Copilot.
Smarter Health and Learning Tools
The new Copilot for Health grounds medical queries in verified information from sources like Harvard Health. It can even recommend suitable doctors based on location, specialisation, and language preferences.
For students and learners, Learn Live brings an educational touch, using a Socratic, voice-enabled approach that guides users through interactive lessons, visual explanations, and conceptual discussions rather than simply providing answers.
Edge Browser Gets Agentic Capabilities
In Microsoft Edge, a new Copilot Mode allows the AI to analyse open tabs, summarise content, and even perform actions such as booking hotels or filling out forms, thanks to its new agentic capabilities.
Another feature, Journeys, automatically organises browsing sessions by topic, enabling users to revisit research or projects more efficiently. Microsoft stressed that both Edge features include opt-in privacy controls.
Unified Copilot Search
Lastly, Copilot Search now merges AI-generated insights with traditional web results, displaying both in a single interface with clear source citations.
