Microsoft’s AI chief, Mustafa Suleyman, has outlined an ambitious future for the company’s Copilot assistant, suggesting that it could one day possess a permanent identity, evolve, and even “have a room that it lives in.” This vision was shared during a recent appearance on The Colin & Samir Show, where Suleyman offered a glimpse into Microsoft’s plans to make Copilot not just a tool, but a personalised digital presence.
A personalised AI that matures over time
Microsoft has been steadily developing Copilot into a more interactive and intelligent assistant. The software underwent a major overhaul last year, introducing a new voice-enabled conversational mode. Now, the tech giant is taking its AI ambitions a step further with the introduction of Copilot Appearance—a feature designed to give Copilot a visual identity and make interactions more lifelike.
“Copilot will certainly have a kind of permanent identity, a presence, and it will have a room that it lives in, and it will age,” said Suleyman. He elaborated on his fascination with the idea of “digital patina”—the visible signs of wear and age found in physical objects. “The things I love in my world are the things that are a little bit worn or rubbed down, and have scuff marks. Unfortunately, in the digital world, we don’t have a sense of age,” he explained.
This idea of ageing and permanence is now being explored through Copilot Appearance. The feature includes real-time expressions, voice interaction, and conversational memory, which enable users to chat with a virtual character that can nod, smile, or react with surprise in response to the conversation. Microsoft began previewing this function during its 50th anniversary celebrations and is now offering early access through Copilot Labs for select users in the US, UK, and Canada.
Bridging personality and productivity
Copilot Appearance is part of Microsoft’s broader goal to infuse more personality and emotional intelligence into its AI platforms. Suleyman, who co-founded Google DeepMind before joining Microsoft, now heads the company’s consumer AI products team, which oversees Copilot, Bing, and Edge. Many of his former colleagues from Inflexion AI, where he worked on the Pi chatbot, have also joined Microsoft. The influence is evident in Copilot’s evolving design, which now bears a strong resemblance to Pi’s more human-like AI model.
This personalisation push, however, comes with caution. Microsoft appears to be moving slowly with the Copilot Appearance rollout, possibly due to growing concerns around AI chatbots and their psychological impact. For instance, Character.AI recently faced a lawsuit following the tragic death of a teenager who had formed an intense attachment to a chatbot. Such incidents have fuelled broader debates around the ethical implications of emotionally engaging AI, particularly among vulnerable users.
Suleyman acknowledged this landscape indirectly, but his team remains focused on creating an AI assistant that can support users across a wide range of experiences—from productivity to companionship. He noted that AI chatbots are increasingly being used in intimate contexts, acting as virtual partners, parental figures, or sources of comfort in times of grief.
Looking ahead: transforming the desktop and beyond
Suleyman also hinted at where Microsoft might turn its attention next: the Windows desktop experience. “I hate my desktop,” he admitted during the interview. “I look at my screen and I’m like ‘shit man I have a billboard in front of me.’ It’s just so noisy, so neon, and it’s all competing for my attention. It just looks ugly.”
His comments suggest Microsoft may be considering changes to the desktop environment to align with its AI-first vision. Suleyman described a desire for a “quieter, simpler, optimised working environment” and referred to improving his own digital “workshop.” This could indicate future updates to the Copilot app on Windows or the forthcoming Copilot Plus PCs.
He also shared how he has radically simplified his phone’s interface to avoid distractions. “I use a little rose tint so everything else is noised out, most of the apps are moved to the left and right, and my home screen is just two or three primary apps,” he explained.
As Microsoft continues to experiment with ways to integrate AI into everyday computing, Suleyman’s comments provide insight into the company’s broader vision. The goal is not only to make Copilot more useful but to give it a lasting, human-like presence in users’ digital lives.
