In a potentially controversial new move for Windows users, Microsoft has once-again launched testing for a controversial AI Recall feature to Windows 11. The company had initially suspended the rollout of this feature last year after widespread user protest. The second testing phase started in earnest last month, in April. The vehicle for that right now is through the Windows Insider program, and more specifically, the Windows Preview Channel within that.
Ivan Mehta, a global consumer tech correspondent at TechCrunch, based in India, reports on this significant development. He’s previously worked at the Huffington Post and The Next Web. Now, he brings that expertise to you, with deep, original reporting and analysis breaking down the rapidly shifting world of consumer tech. His specialized knowledge helps explain Microsoft’s choices relating to the AI Recall Feature, a controversial feature that users have criticized for privacy violations.
The new AI Recall feature elevates your user experience even further by bringing the power of artificial intelligence to Windows itself. It updates how the system uses, shares and connects with your data. The rollout met with public backlash, leading to the first pause on this kind of technology by Microsoft. Thanks to real user feedback and testing, the company has admitted that they jumped the gun and are working on making amends.
Our testing is on their most recent release, Windows 11 Build 26100-3902. This new version is now available to participants in the Release Preview Channel. This is an improvement over past versions of the feature and includes changes based on community feedback gathered during early testing.
Microsoft’s overall strategy to use the Windows Insider program to develop and test features fits perfectly in with using the Insiders as a laboratory. To develop its vehicles, the company engages a community of pioneering testers. This collaborative approach helps keep user needs and expectations front of mind while upholding strict privacy-by-design principles in developing new functionalities.
Even as development is ongoing, Ivan is adamant about the role of user feedback in driving the technology’s features. Microsoft will be keeping a close eye on the new AI Recall feature’s ongoing trials. They’re trying to strike the right balance between supporting innovation with meeting user concerns.