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Microsoft Quietly Tests AI Companion in Windows 11 Insider Builds

Recent Insider builds removed the “agentic companions” label to keep early AI Taskbar integration under wraps

Windows 11 Icon Taskbar Razebook
The Copilot key is already present on modern Windows PCs.
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Your Windows 11 Taskbar can start thinking for itself – here's what you need to know before it hits your laptop

Overview

  • Code strings labeled “agentic companions” appeared in Windows 11 Insider builds this month.
  • Recent Insider builds removed the explicit “agentic” term from those strings to avoid drawing attention during testing.
  • The companion could be surfaced via a dedicated Taskbar button that opens a flyout or overlay for AI-powered assistance.
  • Microsoft would likely draw on its Copilot suite, tapping features like Click To Do for contextual actions and Copilot Vision for on-screen scanning.
  • There is no confirmed rollout timeline or detail on user controls and Microsoft may refine the functionality through future Insider previews.