Microsoft Delays Release of AI-Powered Recall, Will First Be Tested With Windows Insiders

Microsoft is delaying the launch of its Recall feature, and it won't be available when the first Copilot+ PCs hit the market on June 18. The tech giant unveiled Recall, an artificial intelligence (AI) feature that tracks and displays a user's history on the device using periodically captured snapshots, at last month's Microsoft Surface and AI event. However, the feature faced criticism from online communities due to security vulnerabilities and the lack of an activation system. Last week, the company announced several improvements to address the issues.

AI-driven recall lags

Adding an update to last week's blog post about the improvements added to Recall, Microsoft said that instead of sending the feature directly to all users with a Copilot+ PC, it will now be previewed for the first time in the Windows Insider program (WIP) over the next few weeks. . After public beta testing and incorporating feedback, the feature will roll out to all Copilot+ PCs in preview mode.

“We're adjusting the recall release model to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security. This decision is rooted in our commitment to deliver a reliable experience, secure and robust for all customers and to seek additional feedback before making the feature available to all PC Copilot+ users,” Microsoft added.

In particular, the Windows maker addressed criticism of the feature and made several changes to its operation. AI-based opt-out was made fully enabled, with a screen explicitly requiring user consent before triggering. The feature was also integrated with the Windows Hello security feature, which requires biometric authentication or a separate PIN code. In addition, the tech giant said that the device will require a “proof of presence” to view the timeline and search on Recall.

Additionally, a second layer of encryption is also being added to the feature's search index database to protect it from bad actors. However, it now appears that Microsoft wants to spend more time testing the feature within the WIP community, before rolling it out globally. According to a report by The Verge, the Recall feature was developed in secret and not publicly tested before the announcement was made at the Surface event. The company is likely to rectify its mistakes with this move.