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Windows 10 goes out the window for cyber security. What to know<\/p>\n
The upcoming lack of protection can increase the risk of Windows 10 users being hacked and online threats: Microsoft’s official end of protection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\n\n- If you\u2019re a Windows user, you\u2019ve seen Microsoft pushing its AI technology called \u201cCopilot\u201d everywhere. It\u2019s their entry into the race to build an AI platform in the latest Internet \u2018gold rush\u2019.<\/li>\n
- Copilot can be a helper built into tools you already use that can reduce tedious work and speed up routine tasks.<\/li>\n
- This technology is still in its infancy, and it can suffer from AI hallucinations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/story-highlights>\nQuestion<\/strong>: What\u2019s the deal with Copilot? What will it do for me?<\/p>\n\nAnswer<\/strong>: If you\u2019re a Windows user, you\u2019ve seen Microsoft pushing its AI technology called \u201cCopilot\u201d everywhere. It\u2019s their entry into the race to build an AI platform in the latest Internet \u2018gold rush\u2019.<\/p>\nWhat is Copilot?<\/h2>\n
Copilot is Microsoft\u2019s umbrella name for its AI-assistant, built to be your conversational helper within Windows, productivity apps like Word and Excel, as well as the Edge browser.<\/p>\n
In practice, it means:<\/p>\n
\n- You can ask it questions in plain language or \u201cchat\u201d with it, and it will answer like any other AI assistant.<\/li>\n
- It can integrate with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams and use what\u2019s in your files, emails, and chats (if you grant access) to produce summaries, drafts and recommendations.<\/li>\n
- In Windows\/Edge, \u201cCopilot\u201d may also act as a side assistant: It can summarize webpages, help you navigate and even analyze what\u2019s on your screen or in your camera (with permission) via features like Copilot Vision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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What can it do for you?<\/h2>\n
Think of Copilot as a helper built into tools you already use that can reduce tedious work and speed up routine tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n- Write stuff for you<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Need to draft an email, letter, or even a flyer? Copilot can give you a draft version so you\u2019re not staring at a blank page. You can then tweak it to sound more like you, or you can ask it to improve something that you\u2019ve written.<\/li>\n
- Summarize Text\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Get a quick overview of a long email, article or contract and understand those ridiculous \u2018Terms of Service\u2019 agreements.<\/li>\n
- Analyze numbers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If you\u2019re looking at a massive spreadsheet and wondering what the numbers really mean, Copilot can explain trends in plain English or create a quick chart.<\/li>\n
- Make presentations<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Copilot can pull together the basics and suggest layouts, so you spend less time fiddling with PowerPoint.<\/li>\n
- Look things up quickly<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Instead of jumping between Google searches and guessing which link to click, you can ask Copilot a straight question and get a direct answer.<\/li>\n
- Help while browsing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If you\u2019re on a webpage that feels overwhelming, you can ask Copilot to explain it, give you the highlights or compare it to something else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
It\u2019s like having a very efficient assistant, but you\u2019ll always want to double-check its work, as all AI assistants can make significant mistakes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nData Doctors: <\/strong>How Wi-Fi 7 can help with your sluggish internet speed<\/span><\/p>\nDo you need to use it?<\/h2>\n
The answer to this question relies heavily on your needs.<\/p>\n
Do you frequently write content, proposals, internal documents, etc.? Are you a heavy Microsoft 365 user (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)? Do you routinely analyze data and create reports for others from that data?<\/p>\n
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you\u2019d certainly benefit from using some type of AI assistant.<\/p>\n\nIf\u00a0you\u2019re a casual computer user who mainly surfs the web and checks a small amount of email, or do not use a computer for work, you may not find much value in it.<\/p>\n
Potential drawbacks<\/h2>\n
This technology is still in its infancy, and it can suffer from AI hallucinations. Essentially, it occasionally makes things up. There are also privacy issues when it comes to your sensitive files and chats.<\/p>\n
The reality of AI use today<\/h2>\n
Getting a decent understanding of what AI assistants can and can\u2019t do is something I highly recommend to everyone.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t want AI that integrates so much into your daily computer use, other standalone options from\u00a0OpenAI\u00a0(Chat GPT),\u00a0Google\u00a0(Gemini), and\u00a0Anthropic\u00a0(Claude) are easy for new users to try.<\/p>\n\nKen Colburn is the founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services,\u00a0datadoctors.com<\/a>. Ask any tech question at\u00a0facebook.com\/DataDoctors<\/a>\u00a0or on Twitter\u00a0@TheDataDoc<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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