What you need to know
- Microsoft has renamed its Edge browser on iOS and Android.
- The full name of the app is now "Microsoft Edge: AI Browser."
- Microsoft has said that it will incorporate artificial intelligence into all of its apps and services.
- The official name of SwiftKey is "Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard," even though most people refer to it as just SwiftKey.
Microsoft Edge has a new name on iOS and Android, or at least an updated name in its store listings. What was once simply known as "Microsoft Edge" is now listed as "Microsoft Edge: AI browser." The change reflects a push to integrate artificial intelligence into all of Microsoft's services.
The new name isn't just a marketing tool. Microsoft Edge does have AI features built-in, as outlined by its updated App Store listing:
"Microsoft Edge, your AI-powered browser, with Copilot built in to enhance your browsing experience. Empowered by GPT-4, Copilot enables you to ask questions, refine searches, receive comprehensive summaries and create images with DALL-E 3. Microsoft Edge is a smarter way to browse, find, create and shop on the go."
The listing also shows images of the aforementioned AI features in action.
While some of those features are available on other browsers, Edge bakes them right in. A button at the bottom of Edge brings up Copilot with Bing Chat, which can do a variety of tasks and answer questions. It even has the option to use GPT-4 rather than GPT-3.5.
Marketing or a new emphasis?
I've seen some pushback about Microsoft changing the name of Edge in its listings. Some argue that Edge is not an AI browser, claiming that it is a browser with AI features. I disagree. It's not like the AI features are limited to when you open Bing or a specific site. AI is available at the push of a button and some of the AI features interact with what's on your screen, such as article summaries.
I imagine Microsoft has some AI features in the works that aren't here yet, but Edge is already an AI browser.
Microsoft recently renamed Bing Chat to Copilot with Bing Chat. The company also brought its various Copilots under unified branding. It's clear that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's promise to integrate AI into all Microsoft services has continued to be a point of emphasis.
AI in 2024
Some referred to 2023 as the year of AI, and with good reason. ChatGPT hit its stride (though it launched in 2022). Bing integrated with ChatGPT. Google released Bard. Tech giants are racing to get AI into the hands of consumers and to get their APIs used by other tech companies.
Windows 12 will have even more AI experiences and features than Windows 11, which already has Copilot built in.
On the hardware side of things, NPUs are on the way in 2024. Those dedicated processors specialize in the repetitive tasks that AI requires. You can expect to see a wave of laptops and devices with NPUs, thanks in part to Intel Core Ultra processors and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite featuring NPUs.
