Microsoft delays release of AI-enabled recall, tests with Windows Insiders first

Microsoft has delayed the release of the recall feature, and it will not be available when the first Copilot+ PCs hit the market on June 18. The tech giant announced the recall of the artificial intelligence (AI) feature at its Microsoft Surface and AI event last month, which uses periodically captured snapshots to track and display user history on the device. However, the feature received criticism from the online community due to security vulnerabilities and a lack of an opt-in system. Last week, the company announced several improvements to address the issues.

AI-enabled recall delayed

Microsoft updated a blog post from last week about the improvements being made to Recall, saying that rather than shipping the feature directly to all users with Copilot+ PCs, it will first preview it in the Windows Insider Program (WIP) in the coming weeks. After public beta testing and incorporating feedback, the feature will be released to all Copilot+ PCs in preview mode.

“We are leveraging the expertise of our Windows Insider community and adjusting our release model for Recall to ensure this experience meets our high quality and security standards. This decision is based on our commitment to providing a reliable, secure and robust experience for all customers and to solicit additional feedback before rolling out the feature to all Copilot+ PC users,” Microsoft added.

Notably, the Windows maker has addressed criticisms of the feature and made some changes to how it works. The AI-powered Recall is now fully opt-in, with a screen explicitly asking for user consent before activating it. The feature is also integrated with the Windows Hello security feature, which requires either biometric authentication or a separate PIN code. Additionally, the tech giant said that a “proof of presence” will be required for a device to view or search the timeline in Recall.

Additionally, a second layer of encryption will also be added to the feature's search index database to protect it from malicious users. However, it seems that Microsoft wants to spend more time testing the feature within the WIP community before releasing it to the world. As reported by The Verge, the recall feature was developed in secret and was not publicly tested before being announced at the Surface event. With this move, it seems like the company is trying to right a wrong.