Microsoft tests Windows 11 Copilot PC Insights for hardware

Microsoft has begun testing a new feature for its Copilot AI assistant on Windows 11 that allows users to ask conversational questions about their computer's hardware and performance. The experimental tool, called PC Insights, is currently rolling out to users in the United States.

PC Insights enables users to ask Copilot questions such as "Do I have enough space for a 100GB game?" or "What is my current CPU usage?" The AI assistant then connects to Windows system APIs to analyze the computer's state and provide answers based on real-time data. According to Microsoft, the feature can monitor CPU, memory, and GPU usage, estimate free storage space, check folder sizes, display connected USB devices and external drives, and report on network status, battery health, and whether an antivirus is running.

The feature is strictly opt-in and requires explicit user permission to access system information. Users can grant permission on a one-time basis per session or choose to "always allow" the access. Microsoft states that the tool does not read the contents of personal files, only their sizes for storage calculations, and that personal data is not stored or used to train AI models,...