Microsoft Copilot has a ‘new face’ that can interact with users; here’s how to enable it

Microsoft

has introduced an experimental feature for its CoPilot

AI chatbot

. Named Copilot Appearance, this update enables the

AI assistant

to recognise real-time

facial expressions

during voice conversations, including smiling, nodding, and raising eyebrows. This visual assistant is currently available in an early preview for users testing

Copilot Labs

. Microsoft's goal with this addition is to give Copilot a more human-like presence. The

Copilot Appearance

experiment aligns with Microsoft’s broader vision of evolving Copilot from a basic assistant into an AI companion. Microsoft’s AI CEO,

Mustafa Suleyman

, has described this feature as giving Copilot its own "digital patina" that can develop over time with the user, aiming for more intuitive and human-like AI interactions.

Microsoft Copilot Appearance: How to enable this feature and other details

Users interested in trying Copilot Appearance can enable it through the voice settings in the Copilot interface. The feature is currently being tested with a limited group of users in the US, UK, and Canada. If you're not part of this test group, the option may not appear in your settings.At this stage, Copilot Appearance can display expressions such as smiling, nodding, and raising an eyebrow, all while maintaining the same familiar voice. The experiment is currently limited to the web version, and Microsoft hasn't announced any plans to expand it to Windows or mobile platforms.

The feature includes real-time expressions such as smiles, nods, and surprised looks, all synced with Copilot’s speech engine to reflect tone and pace. It also remembers earlier parts of your conversation, allowing it to reference previous topics for a more natural flow of conversation.In a recent episode of The Colin & Samir Show, Suleyman discussed how Copilot will eventually have its own "room" to exist in and may develop a kind of "digital patina" over time. "I'm really interested in this idea of digital patina. The things I love in my world are the things that are a little bit worn or rubbed down, and have scuff marks. Unfortunately, in the digital world, we don't have a sense of age,” he noted.