- Mozilla has criticized Microsoft’s Copilot practices
- Microsoft has faced complaints about forcing its AI on users
- It has now been decided to scale back Copilot in its apps
If you’re a long-time Windows user, you may have noticed Microsoft’s not-so-subtle attempt to shoehorn its Copilot artificial intelligence (AI) into pretty much every possible app on your PC. Copilot in Notepad? Check. In widgets? You bet. In the clipping tool? Of course.
But all the unreasonable AI-ification has led to repeated user backlash, and it seems that Microsoft has finally missed the mark by scaling back machine learning capabilities in a selection of its own apps. And for Firefox maker Mozilla, this move is long overdue.
Linda Griffin, Mozilla’s vice president of Global Policy, wrote on the company’s official blog that “Rolling back these forced AI integrations is the right move, but this is just the latest example of Microsoft going too far without user consent.”
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Griffin characterized Microsoft’s Copilot extension as powerful and done “without prompting and without consent”, noting that users were not asked if they wanted their apps to be equipped with AI capabilities.
And Griffin was blunt about Microsoft’s motives, saying that “When Microsoft says it now wants to be ‘intentional’ about Copilot, they’re really admitting they made repeated choices to serve their business over their customers.”
‘Deceptive’ features
Griffin claimed that embedding AI in its apps was part of a “pattern of deceptive design patterns” by Microsoft.
Studies commissioned by Mozilla have found that “Microsoft uses design and distribution tactics to override user choices,” such as the Windows search bar that opens Edge and not your preferred web browser, the lack of a device migration system in Microsoft’s operating system, and the convoluted path users have to go through if they want to choose a new default browser.
In contrast, Mozilla says it does things differently. Its own built-in browser AI can be disabled using a single kill switch, something that was implemented following vocal user feedback. Griffin says this is part of Mozilla’s way of thinking about AI: “You should decide if AI is part of your browsing experience at all. Not Big Tech. Not Mozilla. You.”
Griffin also contrasted Mozilla’s approach with Microsoft’s in another way, saying: “And critically, your preferences also persist across browser updates, meaning AI tools won’t silently reactivate themselves after a major upgrade. No reinstallation. No opting out again after the fact.”
There’s no doubt that Microsoft has drawn plenty of criticism for the aggressive way it’s rolled out Copilot across its apps, and its hand has been forced by users in other areas as well.
As the company decides to change course after facing strong complaints, it’s hard not to agree with much of what Mozilla’s Griffin has said.
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