Microsoft Gaming Copilot AI promises to be your sidekick in Windows 11 games

Microsoft has begun to roll out Gaming Copilot, its AI companion for gamers, to Windows 11 beta testers. The feature is available from the Windows Game Bar and is designed to be the "ultimate gaming sidekick" to help you in tricky-to-navigate gaming situations. Microsoft claims it will make gaming "more seamless" but, like all AI tools, your mileage is likely to vary.

While the feature is just for Windows 11 Insider testers right now, it's likely we'll see the feature rolled out to the general public over the next few months. It's a natural step for Microsoft, a company which has bet big on the AI revolution by ramming it into as many of its tools as possible. You shouldn't need a top PC from our best gaming PC guide for it to work, either.

Following an early test of Gaming Copilot in the Xbox mobile app, Microsoft is now bringing it to PC users. Gaming Copilot will reportedly be able to understand what you're playing and allow you to ask for help, with feedback directly related to the game. For instance, if you're stuck battling a boss, it might provide you with tips on how to defeat it. Likewise, if a puzzle has you stumped, Gaming Copilot will supposedly be able to help you resolve it.

Microsoft claims that the "possibilities are almost endless" but how functional Gaming Copilot will be, and how useful gamers will find it in the real world, remains to be seen. The company has already addressed concerns about a potential performance hit on handhelds ahead of the launch of the new ROG Xbox Ally handheld, however, suggesting that "further optimizations" are on the way for those devices.

To use it, you'll need to press the Windows key + G on your keyboard, then click the Gaming Copilot icon in the Game Bar. Once you've signed in using your Microsoft account, you'll be able to access its features. Gaming Copilot does allow for you to speak to it using your mic, which you can activate by clicking the microphone icon in the Gaming Copilot widget once you're in the Game Bar.

For now, if you want to use it, you'll need to sign up for the Windows Insider program and upgrade your PC to the latest beta build. Only a select number of countries can access the feature, with some notable exceptions, such as the UK, unable to use it just yet. You can see the full list via this press release on the Microsoft website.

Want to take your gameplay on the move, with or without your AI companion? You can check out our best gaming laptop guide for some seriously powerful models for those on-the-go gameplay sessions. Our best handheld guide has portable options for gaming to suit a range of budgets, too.

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