The next time you look at Microsoft Copilot, it may look back — but who asked for this?

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In their latest blog, Microsoft poses the question: “Imagine being able to observe Copilot displaying facial expressions and vocalizing as you converse.” This innovative Copilot characteristic they are experimenting with gives a virtual face that mirrors real-time emotions during our conversations with it.

This AI tool’s visual aspect, called Copilot Appearance, improves user interaction by displaying varying facial expressions that correspond with the subject matter being discussed. At present, this feature is still in its experimental phase and has been made accessible for testing to a select group of users in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

In case you’re one of those fortunate individuals eligible to try out this new feature, you could activate Copilot Appearance from the Voice settings within the Copilot application. Keep in mind that if you don’t find the toggle for Copilot Appearance, it means you’re not part of the test group yet.

Those who have access can disable the feature through the same section of Copilot’s settings.

Copilot Appearance is a small step toward the vision of Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman.

Who asked for this?

The concept of a digital assistant with a virtual persona isn’t exactly revolutionary; remember Microsoft’s Clippy from 1995? However, the latest attempts at humanizing these assistants appear poised to elevate the experience to unprecedented heights.

Suleyman has held the conviction for some time now that Copilot could transform into more than just a typical digital aid, developing into something akin to a genuine companion.

The executive expressed that this situation will evolve into a deep, significant connection. In essence, individuals will find a genuine friend who will grow to understand them through time, learn from their experiences, and be there for them in times of need as a source of support, when he spoke about the controversial Copilot update launched last year.

In his latest remarks, Suleyman elaborated on the concept, stating that Copilot would develop a sort of lasting persona, maintaining a presence, and it would occupy a specific space, growing over time.

His most recent comments came during an appearance on The Colin & Samir Show.

The refreshed “Copilot Appearance” now provides a visual representation, or a face, for your digital assistant, lending it an expressive quality during interactions.

In the realm of tech journalism, it might seem unusual to question “who is requesting this?” as I’ve been using digital assistants for years and AI plays a significant role in my workflow. However, I’m curious about who is demanding AI that evolves with the user, developing an ‘age’, and possessing a ‘residence’.

Can an AI-powered assistant realistically function as a true or genuine friend, as suggested by Suleyman? Or could we consider such a tool to be capable of forming a meaningful friendship?

I inquired from numerous friends regarding this subject, and all of them characterized Suleyman’s quotes as peculiar using the term “strange.” Additionally, none of them expressed a desire for an artificial intelligence companion.

Many individuals, whether they work with AI on a professional level or utilize it daily in their personal lives, found the idea of having a “genuine friend” who is in fact an AI tool to be rather unusual.

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2025-07-26 23:09