Software titan Microsoft is introducing a revolutionary feature called “Recall” for select Windows 11 PCs, which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to meticulously document user activity, encompassing all screen contents.
According to a blog post by Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, this AI-powered feature will be accessible on the company’s new range of “Copilot+ PCs.”
Mehdi described Recall as endowing one’s computer with a “photographic memory.” Through AI, the feature captures periodic screenshots of user interactions, effectively recording their computer activities.
Mehdi further elaborated that locating previously viewed content on a PC, something we frequently find frustrating, is addressed by Copilot+ PCs. These systems organize information based on individual experiences, employing relationships and associations unique to each user.
In a demonstration video, Microsoft showcased Recall’s capabilities. Users can effortlessly navigate a visual timeline to retrieve content from any application, website, or document they have accessed in the past. Additionally, the feature utilizes object recognition snapshots to generate suggested actions based on recognized objects within past content. Users have control over their privacy settings, allowing them to delete individual snapshots, adjust time ranges, pause recordings, or filter out specific apps or websites from being indexed.
The functionality of Recall bears resemblance to fictional technology depicted in the British science fiction anthology television series, Black Mirror. In the series’ final episode of the first series, titled “The Entire History of You,” characters possessed the ability to rewind and project their memories onto a screen.
Renowned billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk also acknowledged the similarities in a post on his social media platform, X, on May 21.
Meanwhile, concerns have arisen regarding Recall’s generative AI, with certain users expressing apprehension that their personal data might be used without consent to train Microsoft’s AI models, as reported by global digital content publishing network 80 Level.
On May 17, Cointelegraph reported that Microsoft may face a fine of up to 1% of its annual revenue in the European Union if it fails to respond to a request for information concerning its search engine Bing and associated generative AI services.
In a recent interview, science fiction author David Brin proposed a preventative measure to avoid an AI apocalypse. He suggested pitting AI against each other, stating, “Sic AIs on each other.”