Mico is Microsoft’s Copilot’s new expressive avatar. It’s meant to be a visual friend in the AI age. This optional, blob-shaped character changes its colors and expressions based on what you say, making conversations feel more real.
Microsoft says that the name Mico comes from “Microsoft Copilot.” Its goal is to be a warm, customizable presence that listens to you and responds. It’s not just you who finds this talking assistant reminiscent of Microsoft’s iconic Clippy paper clip from the 1990s.
Microsoft seems to like this link. According to tech sites like The Verge and Windows Central, there’s a fun Easter egg: if you tap on Mico a lot, it will turn into the old Clippy character.
Mico’s contribution to an enhanced Copilot
The Mico avatar is one of many new features that Copilot will get. Microsoft is also adding a new feature called “Real Talk.” This new mode lets the AI copy the way you talk, but it’s meant to push back and question your ideas when necessary instead of just agreeing with everything you say.
Furthermore, in the U.S., there will be a “Learn Live” mode that uses Mico as a Socratic tutor to help users understand ideas instead of just giving them answers. For group projects, Copilot now lets up to 32 people chat with the AI at the same time to summarize conversations, count votes, and divide up tasks.
Mico is available by default in voice mode for users in the United States, and it will soon be available in other countries like Canada and the U.K. If users don’t want an avatar, they can turn it off.
