Microsoft has announced that the stable version of its Edge web browser now includes Bing's new AI chatbot, Edge Copilot. The new feature was first unveiled at a Microsoft AI press event in February, and has so far only been available as a developer preview...

The new feature replaces Edge's "Discover" feature, with the AI chatbot appearing in the sidebar. Users can interact with the sidebar by hovering over the Bing icon on the toolbar.

Edge Copilot, according to Microsoft, "provides intelligent suggestions and insights based on the context of the website and the user's goals". The chatbot has two main functions at startup: chat and compose. For example, AI Copilot summarises web content, performs comparisons and creates content. It can also help users write better emails, search the web faster and learn new skills.

Google is also incorporating artificial intelligence into its own productivity solution, Workspace. Microsoft is expected to respond to Google's move later this week.

IT administrators can control user access to the Edge AI sidebar. Companies such as Walmart and Amazon have policies in place that prohibit sharing confidential information with ChatGPT and other AI bots.

The AI sidebar is not the only new feature coming in the latest release of Edge. The new Edge Enterprise tab in the Microsoft 365 tab will feature a larger version of the Microsoft News Feed. The browser also features several security mode improvements and introduces a new rule that controls whether browsing history is cleared when the app is closed. A stable version of Edge will be released gradually over one or more days for both Windows and Mac platforms.