Microsoft Edge Launches AI-Powered Copilot Mode

Microsoft is jumping on the AI browser bandwagon with new Copilot features for Edge.

On Monday, Microsoft released Copilot Mode for Edge, an opt-in experimental feature that includes agentic AI capabilities. (If you’ve been nodding and smiling whenever you hear the term “agentic AI,” we’ve got an explanation for you.) This includes contextual awareness across open tabs, natural voice commands for hands-free online navigation, and Copilot, which appears as a pop-up chatbot and can answer questions about the current page.

Copilot Mode will soon be able to take over your browser and complete things on your behalf, such as booking reservations. Copilot Mode will also soon remember your browser history and make suggestions depending on what you’ve looked up.

Edge now includes Copilot Mode, which joins Perplexity Comet, ChatGPT Agent, and other AI assistants that can navigate the web on behalf of users. New reasoning models can do more complex tasks, which is accelerating the development of autonomous agents for shopping, calendar management, and other tasks. This, combined with the possibility that Google will be compelled to sell off Chrome, has created a fresh opportunity for AI-powered browsers to compete with traditional ones.

Consider an AI browser to be a proactive, tailored assistant for online tasks, rather than a static portal for manually accessing information. At least that’s how tech companies and AI labs are pitching it as the so-called browser wars heat up. Meanwhile, increased security risks, compatibility issues (with sites that are not optimized for agents), and deeply ingrained browsing habits could threaten wider adoption.

Furthermore, because AI browsers collect a large amount of data, all of this hyper-personalization raises privacy concerns. According to Microsoft, Copilot Mode is opt-in only, and the data it collects is regulated by your personalization settings. You may turn off Copilot Mode whenever you wish, and “there will always be clear, visual cues on your browser when Copilot is viewing or listening,” according to the release. With more advanced AI features such as booking reservations on the way, Microsoft says Copilot will need your permission to access your browsing history and password credentials.

How to attempt Copilot Mode

Copilot Mode is free right now. Microsoft claims the additional capabilities are free for a short time, but does not indicate how long. To try it out, download and install the Edge browser for Windows or Mac. From there, go to aka.ms/copilot-mode to participate in the experiment. Once opted in, you can enable Copilot Mode in your Edge settings.