Microsoft is reassessing how aggressively it integrates artificial intelligence into Windows 11, following sustained criticism of Copilot placement and the troubled rollout of the Recall feature.
The shift follows internal discussions reported by Windows Central, which indicate Microsoft plans to streamline or remove certain AI elements that have drawn negative reactions from long-time Windows users.
Windows 11’s AI push accelerated in 2024 with the introduction of Recall, a system feature designed to track on-screen activity, but early testing exposed significant security and privacy concerns that forced a lengthy delay.
That backlash set the tone for broader resistance as Copilot integrations expanded across core Windows apps, including File Explorer, Notepad, and Paint, where users questioned the usefulness of persistent AI controls.
Online criticism intensified in late 2025 after Microsoft executives described a vision of Windows evolving into an agentic operating system, prompting widespread pushback that framed AI saturation as intrusive rather than helpful.
The reassessment follows a period of rapid adoption for Windows 11, which recently surpassed one billion users despite ongoing criticism of recent changes.
Copilot and Recall come under internal review
According to the report, Internal teams are now reviewing several Copilot integrations, evaluating whether features embedded in first-party apps justify their complexity or warrant removal.
Sources familiar with the discussions indicate Microsoft has paused plans to introduce additional Copilot buttons across in-box Windows applications, signalling a temporary halt to further surface-level AI expansion.
That pause reflects a broader effort to rethink where AI meaningfully improves workflows, rather than defaulting to prominent Copilot placement across the operating system interface.
Recall remains under active evaluation, with Microsoft reportedly acknowledging that its current implementation has failed to meet expectations while exploring alternative approaches that could rework or rebrand the concept.
The recalibration suggests Microsoft is moving away from a pure AI strategy and toward a more selective model that prioritises relevance, privacy safeguards, and user control.
Microsoft has not formally announced changes to Copilot or Recall, but the company is expected to roll out adjustments through future Windows 11 updates as it refines its AI roadmap.
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