Microsoft Copilot Vision is the perfect holiday shopping buddy, and it’s finally here

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is rolling out the Vision feature for Copilot Plus subscribers
Vision lets the AI see what's on the screen for Edge browser users
The AI offers contextual advice for shopping, planning trips, and other activities

Microsoft's slow tease of the Vision feature for the Copilot AI assistant has finally ended, at least if you subscribe to Copilot Pro. Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman announced the rollout in a post on X (formerly Twitter). CoPilot Vision essentially lets the AI aide view your screen and is embedded in the Microsoft Edge browser.

With your permission, Copilot Vision can analyze the website you are looking at and offer real-time suggestions, insights, or explanations. It’s like getting a second pair of eyes; only these ones are powered by AI and ready to jump in with useful tidbits whenever you need them. Instead of getting lost in a sea of text or struggling to find what you need, you can ask Vision for help.

Vision can help plan a restaurant or movie theatre trip, highlighting ticket info, menus, and anything else. Trying to knock out some holiday shopping? Vision can scan the page and point out products that match your style or budget.

Something special is coming this holiday break 🎁 As of today, Vision is rolling out to our U.S. Copilot Pro subscribers on Windows—so if that includes you, keep your eyes peeled in Edge! And if you still have some Christmas sweater shopping to do… https://t.co/6nNXD8pw4FDecember 19, 2024

Vision and Visuals

Copilot Vision doesn't work universally, even for Pro subscribers. The AI can only "see" some websites. But, as many third-party publishers are helping Microsoft figure out how to make the feature even more useful, it will likely expand its availability quickly.

This kind of AI-assisted browsing isn’t completely new. Other browsers like Google Chrome and Opera have been exploring similar features. Google’s Search Generative Experience offers AI-generated summaries right in your search results, while Opera’s Aria helps you out as you browse. But Microsoft’s take on it feels a bit more personal, like having a smart assistant who actually understands what you’re looking at and helps you in real-time.

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Eric Hal Schwartz is a freelance writer for TechRadar with more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of the world and technology. For the last five years, he served as head writer for Voicebot.ai and was on the leading edge of reporting on generative AI and large language models. He's since become an expert on the products of generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and every other synthetic media tool. His experience runs the gamut of media, including print, digital, broadcast, and live events. Now, he's continuing to tell the stories people want and need to hear about the rapidly evolving AI space and its impact on their lives. Eric is based in New York City.