Microsoft has decided to delay the full launch of its controversial Recall feature following criticism over data privacy and security, with access given to a smaller group of Windows users first.
The generative AI (genAI) powered Recall feature records “snapshots” of a user’s screen every five seconds to provide a searchable log of actions going back three months. It is one of the flagship features for a range of Copilot+ PCs that promise to bring new genAI features to Windows. The PCs are set to launch next week.
While some have noted the potential benefits of the feature, security and privacy experts called Recall a “privacy nightmare” and likened it to keylogger malware. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, a privacy watchdog, said it had written to Microsoft to “understand the safeguards in place to protect user privacy.”