Microsoft Halts Recall AI Tool Amid Privacy Concerns

Microsoft has decided not to include Recall, an artificial intelligence tool that tracks user activity, in the upcoming release of its Copilot+ PC, the company revealed in a blog post on Thursday. Concerns over privacy and security prompted Microsoft to shift Recall from being a widely available feature to a preview available exclusively through the Windows Insiders Program (WIP) upon the PC’s launch on June 18.

Pavan Davuluri, Corporate Vice President of Windows, emphasized in the blog post that this decision underscores Microsoft’s commitment to ensuring a trusted, secure, and robust experience for all its customers.

Initially introduced on May 20, the Copilot+ PC was designed to support advanced AI functionalities, including Recall. The tool captures screenshots regularly to create an activity log, enabling users to search their past actions. However, Recall quickly drew criticism from industry experts concerned about potential vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access sensitive user information, such as usernames and passwords.

In response to the backlash, Microsoft had initially announced measures such as making Recall an opt-in feature and implementing additional security safeguards like encrypted search databases and requiring enrollment in Windows Hello for identity verification through PINs, fingerprints, or facial recognition.

The decision to delay Recall’s broader rollout reflects growing concerns over security in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Recently, Microsoft faced scrutiny from a U.S. government review board regarding its handling of security breaches affecting U.S. government officials’ email accounts.