Mikkel Christensen
Microsoft’s push to embed artificial intelligence deeper into its products has taken another step — this time through a setting many users may not even know exists.
Microsoft’s push to embed artificial intelligence deeper into its products has taken another step — this time through a setting many users may not even know exists.
A newly surfaced Copilot option allows the chatbot to draw on activity across Microsoft services, expanding how much context the AI can use when generating responses.
ai expansion across microsoft
As Microsoft positions Copilot at the center of Windows and Edge, personalization has become a key selling point. Modern AI systems increasingly rely on “memory” features — tools that reference prior behavior, searches or usage patterns to deliver tailored answers.
Tech site BGR reported that a newly discovered Copilot setting enables that kind of cross-platform data use within Microsoft’s ecosystem.
The toggle, which is switched on by default, allows “Copilot use data from Bing, MSN, Edge, and other Microsoft products you’ve used.”
what the setting means
According to BGR, this could include Bing search history and browsing data from Microsoft Edge. In practice, that means Copilot may refine its responses using signals drawn from a user’s broader Microsoft account activity.
While personalization can improve relevance, BGR noted that Microsoft has not provided detailed public guidance outlining precisely what categories of data are accessed or how extensively the information is processed.
The default activation of the feature, without a prominent opt-in prompt, is likely to concern privacy-conscious users, particularly amid wider debates over how AI tools handle personal information.
how to turn it off
BGR reported that users can disable the function by logging into the Copilot website and navigating to Settings.
Under the Memory section, the option labeled Microsoft usage data can be toggled off. Users also have the option to select “Delete all memory,” which removes stored data but may reduce Copilot’s ability to provide personalized responses.
The discovery comes as technology companies face growing scrutiny over how AI systems collect, retain and apply user data — especially when such features are enabled automatically.
Sources: BGR
