Microsoft is doubling down on artificial intelligence (AI) features, ushering in a new era for the operating system. While it was originally thought the controversial Recall tool will only work on new CPUs featuring a neural processing unit (NPU), it turns out that it functions on current hardware just fine.
X user Albacore showcased the upcoming feature via Microsoft’s Windows Insider beta test using a current-gen Arm64 processor. The recording shows a little lag, casting doubt on the performance of Recall without an NPU, but it should “theoretically work on Intel/AMD too,” according to the documentarian.
If you’re not familiar with Recall, it’s essentially a screen logger that records everything you do on your PC. When activated, you can trawl through your history using AI prompts to pull up bits of information you might’ve forgotten. Admittedly, it sounds handy for those of us that go through hundreds of tabs in day but the privacy implications have divided people, including yours truly. TechRadar puts it best, highlighting that it’s a nightmare for shared PC users, it doesn’t obfuscate passwords and will display them in all their glory for anyone watching, and although Microsoft doesn’t log your data just yet, it could change its mind at any moment.
Currently, Albacore confirms that all processing occurs offline and it seems fairly secure. However, this says nothing of potential phishing attacks. Hackers will undoubtedly attempt to get data from those a little less tech-savvy. Given Microsoft’s track record with updates lately, I don’t have a lot of faith that it’ll remain a reliable feature.
Recall is the flagship feature for Copilot Plus PCs, a new certification that guarantees a system can leverage artificial intelligence. Now we know it can operate without this stamp of approval, it makes you wonder why Microsoft would restrict it. The likely reason is to prompt people to update, especially since the company has trouble coaxing people from Windows 10. Unfortunately, that assumption rests on users actually wanting the amped-up keylogger. There’s every chance it could send people sprinting in the opposite direction.