Unveiling its new Recall feature, Microsoft introduced a tool that tracks and saves every action on a user’s Surface PC. This feature bears a resemblance to the Black Mirror episode “The Entire History of You,” where individuals wear an implant that records their every move. The episode ends in chaos, prompting viewers to question the value of such invasive technology.
Recall, however, differs from the implant in Black Mirror and serves as a helpful perk for Surface users. It allows users to retrieve everything they have seen on their Surface PC. By taking consistent screenshots and utilizing an on-device generative AI model and NPU for AI processing, Windows 11 enables users to search their past using natural language.
During the Surface event, Microsoft showcased a use case where Recall proved beneficial. A woman shopping for a dress online was able to search for “blue dress” and retrieve all the blue dresses she had previously seen. Recall’s ability to recognize and identify objects in screenshots provides users with relevant search results.
One notable feature of Recall is the scrollable timeline that allows users to access their entire activity history on their Surface PC. Recognizing potential privacy concerns, Microsoft emphasized that trust is important and designed Recall with responsible AI principles. The company assured users that their Recall data would remain private, local, and secure on their Surface device. Furthermore, Microsoft pledged not to use users’ data to train any AI models.
It is worth mentioning that Recall is exclusively available on Microsoft’s new Surface devices called “Copilot+ PCs.” By incorporating this feature into their products, Microsoft aims to enhance the user experience and provide a convenient and efficient way to retrieve past information.