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Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

reuters.com

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Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#71

Post by neogodless »

I'm a bit confused by the headline chosen for the submission (but the update doesn't do much to clarify).

The original is this:

Update on the Recall preview feature for Copilot+ PCs

> Recall will now shift from a preview experience broadly available for Copilot+ PCs on June 18, 2024, to a preview available first in the Windows Insider Program (WIP) in the coming weeks.

To be clear, it may be delayed for public release, but it is still shipping to Insiders (possibly on June 18, 2024 but in the coming weeks indicates later).

> With that in mind we are announcing updates that will go into effect before Recall (preview) ships to customers on June 18.

Further...

> ...we plan to make Recall (preview) available for all Copilot+ PCs coming soon.

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#72

Post by yakz »

Rinzler89 wrote: post #61

What a dumb feature. They had to get all that backlash to understand why everyone wouldn't want it. Is someone at Microsoft taking crazy pills to think consumers would be into that? They pulled the exact same shit 11 years ago when they launched the Xbox One as a "home media center" instead of a gaming console and it came with mandatory always-on internet connection, disc games DRM tied to a single console unable to…

Adobe just forced through a EULA update (for creative software tools) that was at least somewhat widely interpreted as practically granting Adobe ownership of the work product of their users and their stock is (/checks notes) up 14% today.

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#73

Post by digging »

Rinzler89 wrote: post #61

What a dumb feature. They had to get all that backlash to understand why everyone wouldn't want it. Is someone at Microsoft taking crazy pills to think consumers would be into that? They pulled the exact same shit 11 years ago when they launched the Xbox One as a "home media center" instead of a gaming console and it came with mandatory always-on internet connection, disc games DRM tied to a single console unable to…

It's not as stupid as you're making it out to be.

For almost all tech companies - hell, almost all companies in the modern world - customer abuse is a first-class strategy. Some push it further than others, some are more blatant than others. It's probably not about them being insanely out-of-touch with what people want, but about them miscalculating what people will tolerate. Microsoft seems to be willing to push things a little further because, why wouldn't they? They got people to install Vista, then 7, then 10, then 11, all increasingly abusive.

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#74

Post by pavel_lishin »

nimbius wrote: post #63

In summary: the only customers that matter --corporations paying site licenses-- declared this to be an unacceptable business risk. Anyone who is still using windows in 2024 and isnt a multinational business or llc gets what they deserve.

[flagged]

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#76

Post by staunton »

Rinzler89 wrote: post #61

What a dumb feature. They had to get all that backlash to understand why everyone wouldn't want it. Is someone at Microsoft taking crazy pills to think consumers would be into that? They pulled the exact same shit 11 years ago when they launched the Xbox One as a "home media center" instead of a gaming console and it came with mandatory always-on internet connection, disc games DRM tied to a single console unable to…

> Does Microsoft think consumers are stupid masochists

Microsoft thinks their product has no agency (and they are mostly right, just not always)

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#77

Post by idkdotcom »

digging wrote: post #55

This is confusing and vague to me, which I believe is exactly the intent. It focuses on security, reiterates that security is their top priority (and we know that this is untrue). What were the security problems? They don't even allude to the existence or detection of any specific security problems. It sounds to me like they're figuring out a new marketing approach, or they're softening the blow by "listening to user…

[dead]

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#78

Post by tedivm »

barbariangrunge wrote: post #66

What is recall ai?

It's a system microsoft designed that took regular screenshots of what was happening on the desktop, stored them in a sqlite database, and then allowed people to ask their "AI" questions that would take into account literally everything they user has ever done on their computer.

People pointed out that this would record things like people watching porn, typing in banking credentials, viewing bills, filing taxes, etc etc. The thread of having these sqlite database leaked, combined with the amount of malware and randomware already out there, made a lot of security folks get very very concerned.

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#79

Post by ChicagoDave »

This is only the beginning of AI-centric offerings that were oversold and will be delayed or quietly abandoned.

LLMs are nice for simple things, but they’ve already reached their limits. No amount of data will solve the iteration and complexity problems.

Re: Microsoft to delay release of Recall AI feature on security concerns

#80

Post by 7thpower »

This is not a must have feature for me, but I am interested to see how it unfolds and I can definitely see it being useful in the future.

I do think they bungled the launch by not thinking through the security implications, and particularly how many sensitive threads this crosses.

That being said, they took a risk, it did not go over well, and they’re adjusting. I am sure I will get flamed, but I appreciate the approach.

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