Do you administer Windows Server machines, and were you surprised to find a Windows Copilot application on your servers, that neither you nor your users installed? Well, it turns out that Microsoft installed this application alongside an update to the Edge browser – but the company claims this is in error, and the application will be removed in a future update.
Updates to Edge browser version 123.0.2420.65, released on March 28, 2024 and later, might incorrectly install a new package (MSIX) called ‘Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows’ on Windows devices. Resulting from this, the Microsoft Copilot app might appear in the Installed apps in Settings menu.
It is important to note that the Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows does not execute any code or process, and does not acquire, analyze, or transmit device or environment data in any capacity.
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The company claims this was an enablement package to prepare some Windows devices for the arrival of Copilot, and that it was unintentionally installed on devices. While it doesn’t mean Copilot was actually installed on your PC or server, it’s still a chilling reminder of who really controls your PC or server.
So with this horrible push to kill privacy under the guise of a billion dollar buzzword to oblivion called Ai, should I ditch Windouche for Fedora? ROFL
Oops. We accidentally installed an app you didn’t select and because you flipped out, we’re sorry and even though this isn’t the first time it’s totally different than those other times. We truly care about our customers, especially you enterprise customers. Things that make you go, hmm…
Yes Microsoft does control your machine whether its server or personal. Is it possible to do “personal computing” anymore under the Microsoft umbrella? You know, to set up and run your own computer for learning and creative purposes, to make it your own creative space untramelled by interference with your machine, data collection, malware, and egregious advertising? That’s only possible now with Linux/BSD.
Shifu,
Yeah, the control situation has been getting incrementally worse. You own your PC, but miscrosoft doesn’t treat it that way. Meanwhile they have higher security clearance on your computers than you do. Their access in not completely benevolent either, they are using their access privileges to push applications users didn’t ask for, reinstall ones that had been uninstalled, add ads, & telemetry, overwrite applications launch settings like browsers.
Windows is still a useful and familiar platform for many millions of users, but the future that microsoft want isn’t a positive one for owners IMHO.