Microsoft’s omniscient Recall AI feature is being delayed

Microsoft plans to launch its new Copilot Plus PCs next week without a controversial recall feature that takes screenshots of everything you do on these new laptops. The software maker has held off on the recall so it can test it with the Windows Insider Program, after originally promising to ship the recall as an opt-in feature with additional security fixes.

“We’re adjusting the release model for recalls to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security,” Microsoft said in a statement. Updated blog post. “When the recall (preview) becomes available in the Windows Insider Program, we will publish a blog post with details on how to get the preview.”

This means the recall won’t initially be available to Windows Insiders or anyone who purchased a Copilot Plus PC. notepad earlier today Windows engineers were working hard to test and implement security fixes ahead of the Copilot Plus PC launch date on June 18. Now, Microsoft is essentially admitting here that it needs more time to test the recall’s security fixes.

Microsoft First Recall feature unveiled last month as part of its upcoming Copilot Plus PC, but since then, privacy advocates and Security experts are warning that without changes, the recall could be a “disaster” for cybersecurity. Microsoft last week committed to three major updates in the wake of the recall, including making the AI-powered feature an opt-in experience rather than turning it on by default, encrypting the database, and authenticating via Windows Hello.

Recall uses the local AI models built into Windows 11 to take screenshots of everything you see or do on your computer and then give you the ability to search for and retrieve the items you saw. An explorable timeline lets you scroll through these snapshots to see what you did on your PC on a particular day. Everything in Recall is designed to stay local and private on the device, so no data is used to train Microsoft’s AI models.

Microsoft’s decision to delay the recall comes just after a statement from vice president and president Brad Smith. Testified The matter was presented before the House Homeland Security Committee today. Smith said Microsoft is putting security above everything else under its Secure Future Initiative (SFI). “It’s even more important than the company’s work on artificial intelligence,” says Smith.

Smith also said Microsoft will make security a mandatory part of its bi-annual review process for all employees. “With this change, cybersecurity will be considered in every employee’s annual bonus and compensation,” Smith said.

I reported in notepad this morning Recall was originally created before Microsoft’s big SFI overhaul began. Recall was developed in secret at Microsoft, and it wasn’t even publicly tested with Windows Insiders. Microsoft later identified some security issues with Recall and began developing and testing changes to the experience in recent months. Clearly more time is now needed to ensure that these changes live up to their promise of putting security above AI and everything else.