Microsoft is developing a new AI agent for the Settings app that can, with your permission, change system settings on your behalf.
According to the company, the new agent will use an on-device AI model that is trained to understand the intent of your query and offer an option to automate the task without having to even navigate to the setting.
For example, in the search box (which will now appear at the top center of the app), you can describe the problem, and the AI assistant will surface an inline solution that you can apply automatically alongside the settings results that match the query.
As an example, you could ask, “My text is too small,” and the search box will offer to increase the Text size from 100 to 131. You can accept this by clicking the “Apply” button, or you can click the “Undo” button to revert the changes.
It’s like a tech support agent who is always ready to provide solutions and support based on your description of what you need your computer to do, rather than trying to figure it out for yourself.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the only AI feature coming to the Settings app. As part of the May 2025 Update for Windows 11, Microsoft is also adding Semantic Indexing to the search experience of the Settings app.
The feature adds the ability to search for settings using natural language rather than trying to find a feature or option by its name.
If this feature sounds familiar, it is because Microsoft was already planning to bring Copilot to the Settings app in the form of “Copilot suggestions” that were supposed to appear within the settings.
However, it appears that the company abandoned the idea of Copilot being part of the Settings app and opted to add another AI agent since the chatbot is no longer part of the operating system but rather an application.
In addition to the assistant coming to Settings, the app is also getting a few other updates. For example, the search box will be relocated to the top center, like in the Microsoft Store app. Also, the search drop-down will be updated to accommodate the new AI agent experience.
Finally, Microsoft has also confirmed that the new assistant for the Settings app will be an exclusive feature for Copilot+ PCs, meaning that it won’t be available for regular devices. In part, it’s because traditional computers do not have a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to handle the on-device AI models.
Furthermore, the company is expected to roll out soon through the Windows Insider Program for Copilot+ PCs featuring the latest Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, and later on, it’ll arrive for AMD and Intel AI processors.
Also, this feature will initially only be supported for the English language.
Alongside the assistant feature for the Settings app, Microsoft is also planning to roll out several features for Windows 11, including a redesigned Start menu that unifies the interface and allows you to disable the “Recommended” section.
What do you think about the AI assistant in the Settings app? Let me know in the comments.
Source link
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
