Microsoft has unveiled a new AI companion named Mico, which serves as the modern successor to Clippy. During the Copilot fall release event on Thursday, the company showcased a variety of enhancements and additions to its AI assistant, but the most notable was the debut of Mico — a lively avatar that represents the AI chatbot’s “face.”
According to Microsoft, Mico (a name inspired by “Microsoft Copilot”) is designed to provide users with a friendly and adaptable visual interface that “listens, responds, and even shifts its color based on your interactions.”
If Mico reminds you of Microsoft’s well-known Clippy assistant, you’re not mistaken. Microsoft appears to be leaning into this nostalgic connection, even including a hidden feature: repeatedly tapping Mico will cause it to morph into Clippy.
This function is automatically enabled when using Copilot’s voice mode, though users have the option to disable it. Initially, it’s being rolled out in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., and Microsoft notes that Mico can remember previous conversations and adapt based on user feedback.
A new “Learn Live” feature for U.S. users allows Copilot to act as a tutor, guiding users through topics rather than simply giving answers. Microsoft also highlights improvements in areas such as health inquiries and in-depth research.
“As we develop this, our goal isn’t to maximize engagement or increase screen time. We’re focused on building AI that helps you return to your daily life, fosters genuine human connections, and earns your trust,” wrote Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, in a statement.
Microsoft isn’t alone in giving its AI chatbots a human-like presence. For example, ChatGPT, a leading competitor, also offers a visual interface and multiple voice selections. Meanwhile, xAI’s Grok has introduced more provocative AI companions. Across app marketplaces, AI companion apps are attracting millions of users, suggesting a significant interest in AI personas.
Still, it remains uncertain how users will react to Mico’s floating blob design.
Microsoft also shared that it is refining Copilot’s personality and communication style with a new “Real Talk” mode. This feature will enable the AI to reflect the user’s way of speaking, but unlike some other assistants, it won’t simply agree with everything. Instead, Microsoft says Copilot will maintain its own viewpoint and may challenge your ideas, encouraging you to consider different perspectives.
Mico.
Image Credits:Microsoft
Striking the right balance between a helpful, conversational AI and one that can lead users astray has proven to be a challenge. There have been instances where AI chatbots have reinforced users’ misconceptions, leading to problematic interactions.
The latest Copilot update also brings several new capabilities to Microsoft’s AI, such as inviting friends to join your Copilot chats, long-term memory support, connectors for integrating productivity tools like email and cloud storage, and expanded AI features for the Microsoft Edge browser.
Microsoft has stated that it is working to transform Edge into an AI-powered browser that can access your tabs, summarize and compare content, and even perform tasks like booking hotels or filling out forms. This would position Edge to compete with other AI browsers, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity’s Comet, Dia, and the leading browser Chrome, which now features Gemini AI integration.
