Files review: A more modern alternative to the Windows 11 File Explorer
Key Takeaways
Copilot offers solutions to problems that people didn't really have Users find Copilot to be unnecessary and unattractive, forgetting it's even there People lack trust in Microsoft to respect their wishes with AI, fearing Copilot will become a permanent OS fixture
Microsoft really, really wants Copilot to be a selling point for Windows 11. If it didn't, why would it make an entire line of products called "Copilot+"? In the eyes of the Redmond giant, Copilot is a great advertising point. It's an AI assistant that helps people get their jobs done quicker, finds files for them, and can even write up emails when they're not sure what to put.
Just one problem; it seems that Copilot is actually having the inverse effect. Instead of acting as a desirable flagship feature and drawing people to the operating system, it's causing users on other OSes to look over at Windows 11 and decide to stick with what they have, and some have even changed from Windows 11 to another system altogether. So, here's why Copilot is doing more harm than good with Windows.
1 Copilot offers solutions for problems people didn't really have
Copilot is here to do the jobs you didn't really need AI for
The list of features Copilot has is pretty impressive. It can search the web for you, generate images, and help you plan the day ahead. The thing is, there are no features within Copilot that really stand out as attractive.
I've perhaps used Copilot a handful of times and then forgot it was even there. It's nice in those rare times that I actually need it, but I otherwise leave it alone and do things my own way. If Microsoft really wanted to gun on making Copilot a huge selling point for Windows 11, it doesn't feel like the big mover-shaker needed to encourage people to use the operating system.
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2 Recall left a sour taste in people's mouths
Honestly, I can't blame them
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Remember when Recall first came out? People were really worried about their privacy and who could access their data via the AI feature. It was withdrawn due to security concerns, then brought back with a new plan of action that respected people's wishes better.
But the damage has already been done. People see Recall as an unnecessary feature at best, and a privacy flaw at worst. No matter how Microsoft spins it, Recall feels more like a detractor for Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs than it does an exclusive, exciting feature.
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3 People don't trust Microsoft to respect their wishes with AI
The company has a bad reputation with its users when it comes to choice#
Now you may be thinking: if people don't like these new AI tools, what's the big deal? Microsoft has added ways to disable them, so all you need to do is turn them all off and enjoy your operating system without Copilot. Why do people want to stay off of Windows because of it?
Unfortunately, people don't really trust Microsoft to respect their wishes. First of all, it seems that these AI tools are mostly opt-out; they'll come installed on your system, and it's up to you to either disable them or uninstall them (if you even can). Some people would much prefer these features to be opt-in, something that PCs don't come with by default and are then added with user discretion.
However, users also don't trust Microsoft to keep those features disabled. After all, all it would take is one update where Microsoft nudges people to use its AI tools to sour the mood. This could either activate the AI tools automatically or even force them to stay on without any option to remove them. Given how Microsoft is known for installing features on your PC and then having you disable or remove them, one day you may wake up and find that one AI feature is now a permanent addition to your OS and you can't do a lot about it.
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Files review: A more modern alternative to the Windows 11 File Explorer
The Files app is what I want the Windows 11 File Explorer to look like, but it's not quite perfect. It's also limited by Windows in some ways.
Copilot is Windows 11's biggest detriment
I can see why Microsoft wants to push Copilot as the next big selling point for Windows. After all, we're in the middle of an AI boom where companies are throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. However, given how the Redmond giant handled its AI assistant, it's more of a detractor than anything. People will stick with their operating system of choice just to ensure they don't have Copilot forced upon them, even if that means sticking with Windows 10 until the end-of-support date in a year's time.
If Microsoft wants people to see Windows 11 in a better light, it needs to do one of two things; either develop a killer feature for Copilot, or make it so that its AI tools are opt-in and don't come with the system by default. But something tells me that neither of these will come true, and that's why Copilot will forever be a thorn in Windows 11's reputation.