Microsoft is adding a new feature to its Copilot AI assistant that will allow users to browse the web alongside the AI. The update is expected to roll out soon, offering Windows users the ability to perform online searches and retrieve up-to-date information directly within the operating system.

Copilot will browse the internet with you

The latest update to Microsoft Copilot enhances its real-time capabilities by allowing it to open a browser tab and access the internet to assist with user queries.

This move brings it closer to how OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini handle live information. While Copilot already provides AI-generated responses based on a fixed knowledge base, the new browsing feature expands its usefulness, especially when dealing with recent news, dynamic data, or context-sensitive questions.

This browsing capability will first be available in Microsoft Edge, where users will see a “Search the web” option within the Copilot interface.

If a user asks something Copilot cannot answer based on its offline data, the assistant will switch to browsing mode and fetch answers in real-time.

The browsing assistant is expected to work in a sidebar or pop-up panel, ensuring that users do not need to leave their current task or tab.

It will also maintain a clear indicator when it is retrieving data from the web, ensuring transparency about AI-sourced information.

What we could expect:

This update signals Microsoft’s continued push to integrate AI seamlessly across its platforms. By enabling web access directly from the Windows environment, Copilot becomes a more practical tool for everyday use—beyond summarising documents or generating content.

For Malaysia-based users and others in Southeast Asia, this update could further streamline research, tech support, and daily productivity, especially for those who already rely on Edge or Microsoft 365 apps.

As AI adoption rises, it is expected that similar integrations will appear in productivity tools from other major tech players.

Would you use Copilot as a real-time web search assistant or still prefer a standalone browser for deeper research? Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates.