Physical Copilot key will be mandatory on the keyboard of Microsoft's AI PCs
Intel has shared details of what the requirements will be for an 'AI PC' and they include an NPU, and also a demand that a Copilot key must be present.
The concept of the Copilot key was introduced by Microsoft back at in January 24, with the idea being that it's a dedicated key in the same vein as the Windows key, except obviously in this case tapping it summons the AI assistant.
Apparently having a Copilot key on the keyboard deck of your AI PC will be mandatory going by details Intel just shared as spotted by The Verge.
The requirements for an AI PC are to have an NPU on-board the chip powering the device - as seen in Meteor Lake, of course, from Intel - as well as Copilot itself within the installation of Windows 11. And the final stipulation is that physical Copilot key.
Having Copilot in Windows is one thing - and it has already annoyed some folks, even though you can ignore it and turn off the relevant icons if you wish, it's not possible to actually uninstall the AI (not without fudging or using third-party hacks, anyway - methods we wouldn't recommend in all honesty).
Making a Copilot key mandatory - which can never be removed from the keyboard - is likely to be a step too far in terms of intrusiveness. Then again, you don't have to buy an 'AI PC', but we're betting that quite a few laptops coming out later this year, and on into the future, will be these models.