Microsoft Can\'t Make Copilot Succeed Without Convincing Windows 10 Users

Microsoft introduced its Copilot AI in 2023 and launched Copilot+ PCs in June this year. Despite the company’s push to make Copilot the standard generative AI to assist its users, the average Windows user may not even know what Copilot is.

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

Windows 10 Still Has a Massive User Base

Windows 11 has been around since 2021, so users have had plenty of time to migrate to Microsoft’s latest operating system. However, many have held off upgrading their computers, with reasons for staying on Windows 10 going from the lack of new features to unsupported hardware.

According to StatCounter, users running Windows 10 still account for more than 68% of the market as of May 2024, compared to Windows 11’s 27%. The operating system’s massive reach means millions of users are missing out on Copilot.

Copilot+ PCs require chips with AI processing capabilities (i.e., an AI PC), meaning that even computers bought as recently as last year won’t be able to run all of Copilot's features on-device. To ensure that Windows 10 users can get on board, Microsoft will need to beef up its data centers to handle the AI processing requirements.

While this might be a massive expense on Microsoft’s part, it is a worthy investment. After all, if Microsoft can make Copilot as ubiquitous as the Start Menu, it would massively help increase adoption and even encourage more people to upgrade sooner rather than later.

Copilot on Windows 10 Will Introduce More People to AI PCs

If Microsoft can give the huge Windows 10 user base Copilot, even with limited features, it could be an easy way to make Copilot synonymous with Windows.

Just a simple keyboard shortcut, akin to the Copilot Key, to make the software easier to launch can make a big difference. This convenience means they will likely choose Copilot for their AI needs to avoid the extra steps of having to go to the OpenAI website to access ChatGPT or even open Microsoft Edge to find the Copilot icon.

As Windows 10 users get more used to the idea of having an AI companion on their computer, they’ll be more likely to accept its more integrated existence on their PC. This could be similar to Apple Intelligence—one of the best features that Apple will introduce with macOS Sequoia. However, if Microsoft does add Copilot+ features to all recent Windows PCs, it shouldn’t drop the ball on privacy and security, much like the step back the company had to take with the controversial Recall feature.

It Will Make the Transition to Windows 12 Much Easier

The introduction of Copilot+ PCs in June 2024 shows the future of Windows: generative AI features integrated into the operating system and several apps. So, giving Windows 10 users a taste of what the future holds will likely make moving to Windows 12 more palatable.

This could help Microsoft avoid the same issues it continues to face with Windows 11 adoption, which is wallowing at below 30% of the Windows PC market share three years after launch. Furthermore, Apple is introducing its version of AI to all Apple silicon MacBooks, meaning many users will get this feature retroactively. If Windows 10 users miss out on AI features, they might just get a MacBook instead because of Apple Intelligence.

What Would Copilot on Windows 10 Look Like?

Microsoft should make Copilot on Windows 10 look and act the same as it does on Windows 11. Granted, some features won’t be available on less powerful computers, but the company could just move this processing to its data centers. This will be slower, but it could at least give Windows 10 users a preview of Copilot’s capabilities.

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

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