New Windows AI feature records everything you’ve done on your PC

[Elderberry]

ars Technica by Benj Edwards - 5/20/2024

Recall uses AI features "to take images of your active screen every few seconds."

At a Build conference event on Monday, Microsoft revealed a new AI-powered feature called "Recall" for Copilot+ PCs that will allow Windows 11 users to search and retrieve their past activities on their PC. To make it work, Recall records everything users do on their PC, including activities in apps, communications in live meetings, and websites visited for research. Despite encryption and local storage, the new feature raises privacy concerns for certain Windows users.

"Recall uses Copilot+ PC advanced processing capabilities to take images of your active screen every few seconds," Microsoft says on its website. "The snapshots are encrypted and saved on your PC’s hard drive. You can use Recall to locate the content you have viewed on your PC using search or on a timeline bar that allows you to scroll through your snapshots."

By performing a Recall action, users can access a snapshot from a specific time period, providing context for the event or moment they are searching for. It also allows users to search through teleconference meetings they've participated in and videos watched using an AI-powered feature that transcribes and translates speech.

More: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/microsofts-new-recall-feature-will-record-everything-you-do-on-your-pc/

Elon Musk
@elonmusk

This is a Black Mirror episode.

Definitely turning this “feature” off.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792690964672450971

[DB]

Assuming you can really turn it off...

[DefiantMassRINO]

Man, that is going to kill I/O (input/output) worse than Search Indexer.

[Elderberry]

One more reason for me to stay on Win-10.

[DB]

Man, that is going to kill I/O (input/output) worse than Search Indexer.

And fill your disk with crap quickly...

[libertybele]

One more reason for me to stay on Win-10.

They'll find a way to spy on us anyways -- and I'm sure that they already are.

[Timber Rattler]

Just wait until the FBI starts issuing warrants for this stuff.

[Smokin Joe]

One more reason for me to stay on Win-10.

[Smokin Joe]

They'll find a way to spy on us anyways -- and I'm sure that they already are.

[roamer_1]

Assuming you can really turn it off...

I hacked a reg key into my media box to shut off copilot on Win10... I suspect it is similarly configured in Win11

[roamer_1]

One more reason for me to stay on Win-10.

Copilot is already on Win10... It came down in updates

[Smokin Joe]

Copilot is already on Win10... It came down in updates

How to get rid of it?

[Cyber Liberty]

Just wait until the FBI starts issuing warrants for this stuff.

They won't bother with pesky warrants. The gummint will just call its buddy Bill Gates and he will hand over whatever they wants.  He's already done it.

[Bigun]

They won't bother with pesky warrants. The gummint will just call its buddy Bill Gates and he will hand over whatever they wants.  He's already done it.

They probably already have the keys to every back door known to man.

[Elderberry]

Copilot is already on Win10... It came down in updates

I don't think it's on my machine yet.

Windows 10 Pro edition devices on version 22H2 that are managed by organizations will not be included in the initial rollout of Copilot in Windows. Windows 10 Enterprise and Education edition devices on version 22H2 will also not be included in the initial rollout of Copilot in Windows.

[roamer_1]

How to get rid of it?

I dunno if I should post code.

It's just a reg file... But if a feller don't know what he's doing...
Not you, but somebody else...

[Fishrrman]

"This is a Black Mirror episode.
Definitely turning this “feature” off."

For now... if you can.
In the future...?

Mac user here since 1987 -- going on 40 years!
This isn't to say that at some point, the MacOS may "offer" that, as well...

[roamer_1]

DON'T DO THIS IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT:

In Windows 10 (and I assume 11)
Logged in with administrator privileges
Make sure you can see extensions.

Open notepad

plug ONLY this into it (between the cuts, not the cuts):

----------------------------------------------8<
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

‘[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot]
“TurnOffWindowsCopilot”=dword:00000001`

‘[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot]
“TurnOffWindowsCopilot”=dword:00000001`
----------------------------------------------8<

Save as anything.txt, but for this exercise, call it Disable_Copilot.txt And save it anywhere, but for this exercise, to your desktop...

Close.

Go to desktop.
Find Disable_Copilot.txt
RClick =>Rename

Rename it Disable_Copilot.reg
Run it. (doubleclick)

Tell win to STFU and take it. Yeah, yeah... blah blah. Take it you POS.
may require restart

After: Rename .reg to .re_ (or some such) or delete the file.


@Smokin Joe

[roamer_1]

Addendum: Dunno if that works within a multi-user box. It may only disable for the current user. It takes both code strings (HKLM and HKCU) to shut it off for me.

[roamer_1]

I don't think it's on my machine yet.

Huh. It came down on mine, or most of mine. Some are clinet/server, some are workgroup. Doesn't seem to matter here.

It's still on everything here except my main media machine... Damn thing kept coming up every time I swiped left, and it drove me nuts. So I murdered it.

But it's on this laptop and literally never pops up.
Dunno the difference, except the TV box is run from a bluetooth KB.
 

[corbe]

[mountaineer]

We still use Windows 7 on our home computer. I had 10 on the 'puter at work and didn't like it.

[corbe]

   I chastise the few Customers I have still running it constantly, for clinging on to that RELIC~Windows 7, @mountaineer, it's a bi1ch to support

   But hey, 'Whatever gets you through the Night', I'm Happy.

[DB]

I hacked a reg key into my media box to shut off copilot on Win10... I suspect it is similarly configured in Win11

Any problems after shutting it off? It sucks.

[roamer_1]

Anything I ain't supposed to be doing is done away from home on a *nix box. 

[DB]

We still use Windows 7 on our home computer. I had 10 on the 'puter at work and didn't like it.

Windows 7 has high risk unpatched widely known vulnerabilities and should not be used online. Offline is fine.

[corbe]

   I've spent months of my life reloadin Windows because my Registry Hack didn't work and I was too stoned to make a backup.  $$$$

[roamer_1]

   I've spent months of my life reloadin Windows because my Registry Hack didn't work and I was too stoned to make a backup.  $$$$

I can always reverse whatever I've done to the registry... And I never mind rubbing it off. Seems like Win has always liked a fresh install now and then. If I crater it that badly, it was probably time for a refit.

[mountaineer]

   I chastise the few Customers I have still running it constantly, for clinging on to that RELIC~Windows 7, @mountaineer, it's a bi1ch to support

I know. They keep reminding me it isn't supported and I must upgrade. For our purposes, though, and for the time being, here we'll stay.

[roamer_1]

I know. They keep reminding me it isn't supported and I must upgrade. For our purposes, though, and for the time being, here we'll stay.

Used Win10 boxen, easily 10x the power of a win7 era machine, are all over the place for fifty bucks or less.

Jussayin.

[mountaineer]

Used Win10 boxen, easily 10x the power of a win7 era machine, are all over the place for fifty bucks or less.

Jussayin.

I have no idea what you said, being utterly computer illiterate.

[Cyber Liberty]

I have no idea what you said, being utterly computer illiterate.

I have my doubts you can even run Win10 or 11 on your machine.....

[mountaineer]

I have my doubts you can even run Win10 or 11 on your machine.....

Yay, planned obsolescence. It's annoying to have to keep spending money to upgrade hardware and software, when all we want to do is check emails! 

[roamer_1]

I have no idea what you said, being utterly computer illiterate.

Well you can't be THAT illiterate.... You're logged in. 

I just mean to say that the bottom of the useful used barrel has surpassed anything from the Win7 days... Shoot, Win10 is dang near done now... Pretty much ANY Win10 used box you could find that runs and has decent RAM would be whole generations ahead of a Win7 era box in both speed and power... And power savings, and about any other metric you might employ...

Time to lever up. Find a nice used Win10 box that your friends are taking out to the curb and upgrade. 

[mountaineer]

Is there a realistic non-Microsoft alternative to Windows 10 (or 11)?

[roamer_1]

Is there a realistic non-Microsoft alternative to Windows 10 (or 11)?

Yes. Either Mac or Linux... Though Linux is not for the uninitiated.

I would greatly prefer Linux or Windows, but many folks prefer Mac. Too spendy for me.

[Kamaji]

Yes. Either Mac or Linux... Though Linux is not for the uninitiated.

I would greatly prefer Linux or Windows, but many folks prefer Mac. Too spendy for me.

Actually, I beg to disagree.  Mint Linux is definitely ready for prime time and doesn't require an initiation.  I definitely recommend that anyone who wants to take it for a spin get the live distro, put it on a usb stick, and boot it up.

What is missing is some of the office-related apps - as much as I wish it was, LibreOffice is not quite as good as MS Word is.

However, if most of what one does is browser-based - as a lot is these days - then one should be able to get along just fine on Mint Linux.

[roamer_1]

Actually, I beg to disagree.  Mint Linux is definitely ready for prime time and doesn't require an initiation.  I definitely recommend that anyone who wants to take it for a spin get the live distro, put it on a usb stick, and boot it up.

What is missing is some of the office-related apps - as much as I wish it was, LibreOffice is not quite as good as MS Word is.

However, if most of what one does is browser-based - as a lot is these days - then one should be able to get along just fine on Mint Linux.

I'd say not. I am not far from you, but you or I can easily navigate networking difficulties, and setting up emails and such... You and I can find alt means for software that may not be available for nix...

Joe User, not so much. And there is a dearth, at least here, of competent tech help in Linux among my contemporaries... There's maybe a handful that I could recommend here locally. You're on your own in Linux - That's fine for you and me... Joe User is not likely to easily surmount those difficulties, and the nix community is reliably RTFM, and always has been.

That all being said, I largely agree with your assessment - I too would recommend Mint, if I were to recommend any. It is easy and intuitive by Linux standards.

I lived in OpenOffice for many years. I am back in MSOffice now, largely for compatibility and troubleshooting purposes as a tech - It worked fine for me in all things except Outlook. I have missed Outlook all the way along.