Meet Microsoft Mico — the new adorable face of Copilot

Microsoft has announced Mico, a new character for Copilot’s voice mode.

The company has been testing Mico for several months as a virtual companion that reacts to users’ voice commands in real time.

Mico will now be enabled by default in Copilot’s voice mode, though users will have the option to turn it off.

• It shows emotions and reacts to how users speak. If someone says something sad, Mico’s expression will reflect that.
• During conversations, it can use interactive whiteboards and virtual prompts.

• It also supports Copilot’s new memory feature, allowing it to remember facts it learns about the user.
• There are hidden Easter eggs: if you “poke” Mico with your mouse, “something special may happen,” said Jacob Andreou, Microsoft’s VP of Product and Growth for AI.
• According to Andreou, users will be able to talk “to this cute orb” without thinking about the complex technology running under the hood.

The company seems to be reviving the spirit of Clippy, the legendary Microsoft Office assistant that first appeared in Word nearly 30 years ago.

The new character is part of Microsoft’s broader vision of “a computer you can talk to.” We covered more about the related announcements in a separate article.

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Mico will first be available in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, launching in Learn Live mode.