Microsoft’s creepy virtual ‘all-seeing’ AI helper is set to make a comeback despite fears over ‘privacy nightmare’
MICROSOFT is planning to bring back its virtual “all-seeing” AI helper despite concerns over it being a “privacy nightmare”.
The US tech giant is aiming to reintroduce Recall as the main feature of Copilot+ PCs this October.
Microsoft is planning to introduce it in test builds of the Windows 11 operating system in October, effectively meaning the feature won’t hit stable Windows 11 PCs before 2025 at the earliest.
The company originally announced Windows Recall in May this year.
It was initially enabled by default on compatible systems to capture a screenshot every few seconds.
The feature would then use AI to analyse the screenshot to give the user the option to interact with that content.
It would also allow the use to ask the AI about previous activities on the PC and it would scroll through the screenshots to locate it.
In theory, that all sounded great and could be a benefit for all sorts of work applications.
However, experts raised concerns that malware could steal Recall data to discover what the user had been doing.
While Recall was designed to block taking screenshots of some activities, these were fairly limited, Ghacks reports.
The feature could, in its initial form, take screenshots of passwords, if you used the option to show them, credit card numbers, and other personal information.
It would also know about browsing habits, which shows you watch and anything else you might do while using your computer.
Concerns were also raised about just how secure Microsoft would keep this data.
In response, the UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said in May it was contacting Microsoft for more information on the safety of the product, which privacy campaigners have called a potential “privacy nightmare”.
An ICO spokesperson said at the time firms must “rigorously assess and mitigate risks to peoples’ rights and freedoms” before bringing any new products to market.
“This could be a privacy nightmare,” said Dr Kris Shrishak, an adviser on AI and privacy.
“The mere fact that screenshots will be taken during use of the device could have a chilling effect on people.”
Following those worries, Microsoft pulled the Recall feature shortly after its announcement and later published information about its future in June.
Microsoft said then it would make Recall an “opt-in” feature by default.
It also said it wanted to improve security by enrolling in Windows Hello and other features.
What are the arguments against AI?
Artificial intelligence is a highly contested issue, and it seems everyone has a stance on it. Here are some common arguments against it:
Loss of jobs – Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles are eliminated, others will appear. However, many artists and writers insist the argument is ethical, as generative AI tools are being trained on their work and wouldn’t function otherwise.
Ethics – When AI is trained on a dataset, much of the content is taken from the Internet. This is almost always, if not exclusively, done without notifying the people whose work is being taken.
Privacy – Content from personal social media accounts may be fed to language models to train them. Concerns have cropped up as Meta unveils its AI assistants across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There have been legal challenges to this: in 2016, legislation was created to protect personal data in the EU, and similar laws are in the works in the United States.
Misinformation – As AI tools pulls information from the Internet, they may take things out of context or suffer hallucinations that produce nonsensical answers. Tools like Copilot on Bing and Google’s generative AI in search are always at risk of getting things wrong. Some critics argue this could have lethal effects – such as AI prescribing the wrong health information.
The company also pledged to give insiders the ability to test Recall before launch.
In an update to the blog posted in June, it has now been revealed October 2024 will be the date for its integration in Windows 11 Insider builds.
The feature will only be available on Insider builds that meet the Copilot+ PCs requirements.
Microsoft has also firmly stated that security is its top priority.
Google launched a similar feature called Pixel Screenshots recently for its Pixel 9 devices.
It also uses AI to analyse screenshots, allowing users to recall information stored in those screenshots at anytime.
However, Pixel screenshots works with manual screenshots.
Microsoft aims to provide additional information in October when the new Recall launches in test builds of the Windows 11 operating system.
Apple recently announced Apple Intelligence, and while its features are shrouded in secrecy, we know Siri will have “onscreen awareness” when processing requests.
Assistants like Recall can take screen captures, recognise text, and store this information regardless of sensitivity.
Moreover, control over the assistant is limited. Additional operating system functions may intentionally or accidentally activate at the manufacturer’s command.
A virtual assistant could appear on a computer unexpectedly and without warning as part of an update.
There is also the possibility of cybercriminals accessing your data, which will be stored conveniently in one place.
As the program takes screenshots indiscriminately, a malicious actor could access sensitive information like login credentials, emails, and more in one fell swoop.
The Sun Online has contacted Microsoft for comment.