"The plan is that users of the Copilot App in Windows will show content in the assistant's window, 'so you don't lose context.' Copilot will also (with permission) have access to the context of tabs opened in that conversation, so the assistant can look across them when responding to user prompts. Tabs that are opened will be saved with the conversation so that they can be returned to."
"At first glance, it looks like embedding Edge into Copilot via the WebView2 control and steering the user away from whatever browser is their default is where this is going. Convenient, yes. Good for competition, possibly not. We asked Microsoft whether this would be an opt-in experience and which browser was being used, but, other than acknowledging receipt of our questions, the company did not respond."
"If it's not opt-in, then it's bad behaviour: over the last 25 years, people have become accustomed to clicking links, and that opens their default browser with their preferred settings, stored passwords, preferred font size, and preferred security settings. Pulling that rug from under users' feet is impertinent and discourteous."
Microsoft is rolling out a Copilot update for Windows Insiders that integrates web browsing directly into the assistant, displaying content in a side panel to maintain conversation context. The assistant gains access to open tabs within conversations and can reference them when responding to prompts. Tabs are saved with conversations for later retrieval, and users can optionally enable password and form data synchronization. The implementation appears to embed Edge via WebView2, potentially steering users away from their default browsers. Browser vendors have expressed concerns about this approach, particularly regarding whether it will be opt-in and its implications for user choice and competition regulations.
#copilot-integration #browser-competition #user-privacy-concerns #windows-updates #default-browser-behavior
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