Copilot Cant Succeed If Microsoft Cant Convince Windows 10 Users

Microsoft introduced Copilot AI in 2023 and launched PC Copilot+ in June of this year. Despite the company's efforts to make Copilot the standard generative AI for customer support, the average Windows user may not even know what Copilot is.

While anyone can access Copilot on Microsoft Edge Windows 10, the dedicated Copilot app is only available with Windows 11 (and only on compatible devices). If the goal is widespread adoption, Microsoft will have to make this AI app available on all recent Windows devices.

Windows 10 still has a huge user base

Windows 11 has been available since 2021, so users have had plenty of time to move to Microsoft's latest operating system. However, many people have delayed upgrading their computers, citing the lack of new features and unsupported hardware as the reason for continuing to use Windows 10.

According to StatCounter, Windows 10 users still account for more than 68% of the market as of May 2024, while Windows 11 accounts for just 27%. The operating system's vast reach means millions of users are missing out on Copilot.

PC Copilot+ requires a chip capable of processing AI (i.e., PC AI), which means that even recently purchased computers won't be able to run all of Copilot's features on the device. To ensure Windows 10 users can participate, Microsoft will need to beef up its data centers to handle the AI ​​demands.

While this may be a big expense for Microsoft, it's a worthwhile investment. After all, if Microsoft can make Copilot as ubiquitous as the Start menu, it will help increase adoption and even encourage more people to upgrade sooner.

Copilot on Windows 10 will introduce more people to PC AI

If Microsoft can offer Copilot to its massive Windows 10 user base, even with limited features, it could be an easy way to make Copilot and Windows one unified entity.

Even a simple shortcut, like the Copilot key, that makes launching software easier can make a big difference. This convenience means they’re likely to choose Copilot for their AI needs to avoid having to take extra steps like going to the OpenAI website to access ChatGPT or even opening Microsoft Edge to find the Copilot icon.

As Windows 10 users get more comfortable with the idea of ​​having AI as a companion on their computers, they’ll be more likely to embrace the integrated existence of AI on their PCs. This could be similar to Apple Intelligence — one of the best features Apple will introduce with macOS Sequoia. However, if Microsoft were to add Copilot+ features to all recent Windows PCs, it wouldn’t be a privacy and security compromise, like the backpedaling the company had to take with the controversial Recall feature .

Makes the transition to Windows 12 much easier

The launch of Copilot+ PC in June 2024 shows the future of Windows: Generative AI features are built into the operating system and some apps, so giving Windows 10 users a taste of the future could make the transition to Windows 12 more pleasant.

This could help Microsoft avoid the same problems it continues to face with Windows 11 adoption, which still has less than 30% of the Windows PC market share three years after its launch. What’s more, Apple is introducing its version of AI to all Apple silicon MacBooks, meaning many users will get the feature early on. If Windows 10 users miss out on AI features, they may end up buying a MacBook instead because of Apple’s intelligence.

What will Copilot on Windows 10 look like?

Microsoft should make Copilot on Windows 10 look and work the same as it does on Windows 11. Granted, some features won't be available on less powerful computers, but the company could offload the processing to its own data centers. It would be slower, but it could at least give Windows 10 users a preview of what Copilot is capable of.

Microsoft has a number of Copilot apps available, but Copilot in Windows 11 may be the most important. That’s because it will introduce users who aren’t necessarily looking for an AI chatbot and show them how useful they can be. Microsoft could then increase adoption of the tool by adding some (or even all) of its features to Windows 10, ensuring a successful future for its AI tool.