Why Is Microsoft Copilot Everywhere and Is It Slowing Down Your PC?

Is Windows 11 Safe With New AI Agents or Should You Be Worried?

Microsoft’s AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, recently expressed confusion over users calling artificial intelligence “underwhelming”. He referenced his nostalgia for playing Snake on old Nokia phones to contrast today’s technology, arguing that fluent conversations with a super-smart AI should impress everyone. However, user feedback paints a different picture. The issue is not that the technology lacks power; rather, users feel Microsoft forces AI into every part of Windows 11 aggressively.​

Users appreciate AI that solves specific problems. They dislike AI when it creates new ones. Microsoft currently treats the operating system primarily as a promotional vehicle for Copilot, which leads to user fatigue. The problem isn’t the capability of models like the newly rolling out GPT 5.1; the problem is the intrusive placement of Copilot where it disrupts daily workflows.​

Assessing Copilot’s Integration: The Helpful vs. The Intrusive

Microsoft has integrated AI into nearly every system component. Some features offer genuine utility, while others feel like clutter.

Copilot Voice and Vision

Copilot Voice allows users to invoke AI with a simple verbal command. It works reliably for quick tasks like checking time zones or converting currency. It activates quickly and shuts down automatically when the user stops speaking, making it a non-intrusive tool. Similarly, Copilot Vision analyzes screen content to provide context-aware guidance. While promising, it currently suffers from latency issues that make it slower than simply asking the standard Copilot, and it occasionally misidentifies interface elements.​

Browser and Taskbar Encroachment

The integration began in Microsoft Edge, now marketed as an “AI browser” for enterprise. Features like video translation and YouTube summarization help researchers save time. However, the “Ask Copilot” button on the Windows taskbar aims to replace Windows Search entirely. This shift attempts to retrain years of user muscle memory by turning the taskbar into a hub for “Copilot Actions”—automated agents that perform tasks on your behalf.​

The Performance Cost of AI “Bloat”

Microsoft’s strategy involves embedding AI into lightweight tools, often complicating them unnecessarily.

Notepad

This basic text editor now includes AI for rephrasing and shortening text. This defeats Notepad’s original purpose as a quick, distraction-free tool for raw thoughts.​

File Explorer

Already criticized for sluggish performance, File Explorer now includes AI context menus for editing photos and summarizing documents. These features run on the Photos app or Microsoft 365 backend. To combat the resulting slowness, Microsoft now preloads these processes, consuming more system RAM even when idle.​

Photos and Settings

The Photos app features useful tools like AI Erase and background removal, which professionals use daily. Conversely, the Settings app now includes a “Settings Mu” language model to help users find options, and Bing Wallpaper forces browser pop-ups for visual search results, which many find distracting.​

Critical Security Risks in the “Agentic” OS

The most concerning development is Microsoft’s push for an “Agentic OS,” where autonomous agents access local files to perform complex workflows. Microsoft has admitted in support documentation that these Experimental Agentic Features can hallucinate and are vulnerable to exploitation.​

The “Cross-Prompt Injection” Threat

Security experts warn of Cross-Prompt Injection (XPIA) attacks. In this scenario, an AI agent reads a file containing malicious hidden instructions (such as a downloaded PDF). The agent might then follow those instructions to leak sensitive data or install malware without the user’s consent. Because these agents “see” the interface like a human but lack human judgment, they are easily tricked by malicious UI elements or documents.​

Conclusion: Stability Must Precede Innovation

Users do not find Windows 11 AI underwhelming because the tech is bad; they find it stress-inducing. The introduction of autonomous agents that read personal files creates significant trust issues, especially after the backlash surrounding the Recall feature. For users to embrace an AI-powered OS, Microsoft must first ensure the underlying platform is fast, stable, and predictable. Adding complex, resource-heavy AI features to an operating system that already struggles with basic performance instability alienates the core user base.​