RIP Cortana: Microsoft Removes AI Assistant on Windows—What's the Replacement?

Just when we thought that Microsoft and Cortana would stay forever, the Redmond giant announced that it's killing its long-time AI assistant on Windows. This means that the standalone app will no longer be usable in late 2023.

The software giant, however, has a quick replacement for this digital assistant thanks to the new Windows Copilot tool.

Microsoft is Removing Cortana as Standalone App on Windows

Given that Cortana has been existing for years and we haven't heard frequent updates on the app, it's like a dead AI assistant that's only living on your Windows 10 or 11.

Unlike Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri, Microsoft has low-key abandoned the app by not introducing important features. The support for the Windows Cortana app is officially ending in the next few months, as a result, according to Laptop Mag.

Even before Microsoft dropped this news, some users already saw ahead that this was coming to town. The removal of the software won't be sudden since the company said that it will still thrive in the Microsoft Teams display, Microsoft Teams rooms, Outlook mobile, and Teams mobile.

In case you're having blues with Cortana's departure, Microsoft says that you can easily reimagine using the app via Windows 11 Voice Access. Still, it's not yet enough to fill the void that the AI assistant has, but it's better than being left with nothing.

"[Voice Access] is a new feature in Windows 11 that lets you control your PC and write text using your voice," Microsoft said.

Browsing the web between apps will be much easier if you take advantage of the vocal commands, not to mention the ability to read and write all the emails you receive. What's more, you can use it for offline purposes.

Microsoft Copilot to the Rescue

In another report by The Verge, Microsoft says that Copilot will be Cortana's replacement. If you're not yet familiar with this tool, it's a GPT-4 AI upgrade that's designed to boost your productivity when using Microsoft apps.

Copilot can function like your friend who regularly reminds you what song to play on Spotify. It's your friend who can make a brief summary of your PDF notes from scratch. It's multipurpose and centered on work-related apps.

Aside from that, Microsoft sees that the integration of Copilot with Microsoft 365 apps is another opportunity that every user shouldn't miss. It's simply tailored to let you excel in your PowerPoint presentation or properly plot the data in an Excel file.

The competition among AI assistants is quite intense as Amazon, Apple, and Google regularly roll out updates to their apps. However, Microsoft realized that Cortana is only trailing behind them that's why the best decision to explore is by ditching the software.

Anyways, Cortana is finally free from criticism and missed updates. Well, it might be better for it to take a rest than being a subject of scrutiny of other people.