Microsoft has given its Copilot AI chatbot a face, and it’s called Mico. Announced at the company’s Copilot Fall Release event, Mico is a lively, customizable avatar designed to make AI interaction feel more personal and human.
Mico, short for Microsoft Copilot, “listens, reacts, and changes colors to reflect your interactions,” according to the company. While it’s a fresh design, longtime Microsoft fans will instantly recognize a playful nod to the past, tap Mico a few times, and it morphs into Clippy, Microsoft’s beloved (and sometimes mocked) paperclip assistant from the early 2000s.
Initially available in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., Mico powers Copilot’s new voice mode, where users can speak naturally with the AI. It can remember past conversations, adapt to user feedback, and even act as a tutor through a feature called “Learn Live.”
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman described Mico as part of the company’s broader mission: “We’re not chasing engagement or screen time, we’re building AI that deepens human connection and earns your trust.”
The update also brings “Real Talk”, a conversational mode that lets Copilot mirror users’ tone and challenge ideas with a grounded perspective, moving away from overly polite AI behavior.
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Other upgrades include group AI chats, long-term memory, and new connectors for apps like email and cloud storage. Microsoft’s Edge browser is also evolving into an AI-powered assistant, capable of summarizing tabs, comparing data, and performing online tasks such as booking hotels or filling forms.
Whether Mico will become as iconic as Clippy remains to be seen, but it’s clear Microsoft wants AI to feel more like a companion than just a tool.
