Keyboards on new Windows PCs will be equipped with a dedicated Copilot key, designed to facilitate text conversations with the software giant’s virtual assistant, Microsoft revealed on Thursday 4 January 2024.

This innovation stands out as one of the most prominent updates to Windows keyboards since the introduction of the Windows key in 1994.

Window’s Copilot uses OpenAI’s AI models. OpenAI is renowned for its ChatGPT chatbot, which enables Copilot to generate human-like responses to written input.

Users can instruct Copilot to compose emails, answer queries, generate images, and activate various PC features. Businesses subscribed to Copilot for Microsoft 365 can use Teams chat highlights and assistance in creating Word documents.

While Copilot has been available on PCs running Windows 10 and Windows 11, Microsoft has taken a step further by introducing a dedicated Copilot key on keyboards.

Despite Windows experiencing a shift in its market dominance, with Microsoft’s revenue now diversified, approximately 10% of the company’s earnings still come from its operating system.

The tech industry has coined the term “AI PC,” referring to devices with specialized chip components that enhance the efficiency of computationally demanding models.

Device manufacturers are set to showcase PCs featuring the Copilot key at the upcoming CES conference in Las Vegas next week, with availability scheduled to commence later this month.

In some instances, the key may replace the Menu key or the right Control key, although larger computers will have sufficient space for both, CNBC reported.