Microsoft has introduced Mico, an expressive animated face for its Copilot AI assistant, as part of a broader 'human-centered AI' update. This optional feature aims to make interactions more engaging, drawing inspiration from past digital helpers like Clippy. The changes roll out first in the US, with international availability soon.
Microsoft announced the Copilot Fall Release on October 23, 2025, focusing on 'human-centered AI' to enhance user interactions. Central to this is Mico, described as an 'expressive, customizable, and warm' blob with a face that 'listens, reacts, and even changes colors' during conversations. Unlike earlier assistants such as Clippy or Cortana, which frustrated users with limited responses, Mico leverages large language models for potentially infinite contextual adaptability.
The update also includes Copilot Groups, enabling chats with up to 32 people simultaneously; improved Memory & Personalization settings for retaining conversation context; and Copilot for health, which grounds responses in credible sources like Harvard Health and assists in finding doctors based on specialty, location, language, and preferences.
This follows Microsoft's recent push for better voice controls in Windows 11's Copilot, echoing past revival attempts like Cortana in the 2010s. While Mico recalls '90s innovations such as Microsoft Bob and Rover, the company hopes AI advancements will overcome previous shortcomings. All features are now live for US users and will expand to the UK, Canada, and other regions in the coming weeks.
Critics note that past assistants often annoyed rather than helped due to poor context awareness, but Microsoft believes current AI capabilities could change that dynamic.