Microsoft has discontinued the Cortana app on Windows 11 as announced two months ago, marking the end of the standalone personal assistant app. The latest update, which is currently rolling out to some users on Windows 11, has caused the app to stop functioning. Upon opening the app, users are now greeted with a notice stating, “Cortana in Windows as a standalone app is deprecated”.
Transition to AI-Powered Features
The discontinuation of Cortana is part of Microsoft's shift towards integrating other AI-powered productivity features into Windows, including the new AI powered Bing Search, Bing Chat, and Windows Copilot. The company has recommended Windows Copilot, which is set to debut with the Windows 11 23H2 update, as an alternative for users seeking an assistant or copilot for their desktop. Microsoft is also testing first-party and Bing third-party plugins for Windows Copilot, which could enhance the Copilot experience.
As another alternative, Microsofts AI Chatbot Bing Chat, powered by OpenAI‘s GPT-4 technology, allows users to ask complex questions and get concise answers from reliable sources on the web.
Cortana's Future on Other Platforms
Despite the discontinuation on Windows 11, Cortana will remain functional on Windows 10 until October 2025. Microsoft also plans to remove Cortana from Windows 10 in the coming weeks. However, Microsoft assures users that Cortana will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Microsoft Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms.
Windows Copilot: The Future of AI Assistance
Windows Copilot, available in preview for Windows 11 since June 2023, provides centralized AI assistance. This tool, along with Bing Chat and first- and third-party plugins, is designed to help users focus on bringing their ideas to life, completing complex projects, and collaborating instead of spending energy finding, launching, and working across multiple applications.
