Microsoft’s Controversial AI Feature ‘Recall’ Will Roll out to Windows Insider in October
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- Microsoft has announced that it’ll soon release the Recall feature to the Windows Insider Program.
- Windows Recall will only be available on Copilot+ PCs with Windows 11.
- However, the company hasn’t shared any information about the AI feature’s broader release.
On Wednesday last week, Microsoft announced that it’ll roll out the controversial Recall feature to users of the Windows Insider Program with Copilot+ PCs in October, i.e, in less than two months from now.
It’s worth noting that Windows Insider is a free program users can join to preview the latest builds of the Windows operating systems before they’re made available to the public at large. It can also be considered a community, as you’re allowed to share feedback and interact with folks responsible for building Windows.
“With a commitment to delivering a trustworthy and secure Recall (preview) experience on Copilot+ PCs for customers, we’re sharing an update that Recall will be available to Windows Insiders starting in October.” – Microsoft’s blog
However, the company hasn’t released any information regarding the broader release of the feature, if there is one on the horizon.
About Recall
Windows Recall, first announced on May 20, is supposed to be a helpful AI-enabled assistant. It’ll keep a record of all your activities, constantly taking screenshots of whatever you do on your device so that you can go back in time.
It will analyze the images on-device with the help of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and an AI model and then add that information to an SQLite database.
The feature was initially supposed to launch in June 2024. However, the release announcement was a PR disaster. People began questioning the tool’s security – and rightfully so because it talked about recording everything a user does on their computer, including login details to banking sites, online accounts, etc.
One of the biggest concerns was that Recall was to be turned on by default. This means that a lot of uninformed users might continue using their laptops without realizing that their actions are being recorded.
Secondly, a database of all private user activity, including login credentials, browsing history, private conversations, and images & videos, is a goldmine for threat actors. Researchers demonstrated how easy it would’ve been to gain access to such personal information with the help of Recall.
Here’s what Microsoft did:
- Made the feature opt-in instead of keeping it on by default.
- Made enrolling to Windows Hello mandatory for turning on Recall for added security.
- Mandated proof of presence to view timeline and search in Recall.
- Encrypted the search index database.
- Added additional layers of protection, including “just in time” decryption, so that data stored in Recall is only decrypted when the user authenticates.
It’s worth noting that a few more changes can be made depending on the feedback Microsoft receives from users of the Windows Insider Program.
All in all, it now looks like CoPilot+ PC users users no longer have to worry about the security aspect of Recall, as the company has finally started prioritizing it.
Perhaps the April report by the Department of Homeland Security on China’s breach of U.S. government officials’ emails who were using Microsoft Outlook was a wakeup call for the company – that if it wants to retain its position as one of the biggest tech companies in the world, it needs to be a lot more sensitive to security.
In a conference call with analysts in July, CEO Satya Nadella also added that they will continue to prioritize security above everything else.
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