Elon Musk wants to keep this Windows feature always off and why he called it ‘Black Mirror’

In a recent viral video, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella introduced “Recall,” a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to boost productivity by mimicking a photographic memory. This feature continuously takes screenshots to “remember and understand everything you do on your computer.”

Elon Musk‘s Reaction

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk reacted negatively to the new tool. Known for his critical views on AI, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval. “This is a Black Mirror episode. Definitely turning this ‘feature’ off,” he said, referencing the Netflix series known for exploring the darker sides of technology.
Details of the Window’s Recall AI Tool
The video, which has garnered over 16 million views, features Nadella explaining how Recall operates. Unlike traditional keyword searches, Recall uses semantic search to access all user history, enabling the recreation of past moments. Nadella mentioned that Recall will be integrated into PCs alongside Copilot, another AI tool that succeeded Microsoft’s voice assistant, Cortana.

Public Backlash and Privacy Concerns

The announcement has sparked significant public criticism, mainly over privacy concerns. One user commented, “Yeah, no thanks. Don’t need to pay Microsoft a monthly fee to spy on me.” Another user questioned its practicality, saying, “Bro they can’t even get searching via the start menu right and we’re supposed to believe this will just work.” A third user highlighted past issues with Windows, “Remember back in the day where Windows would cache snapshots and they would fill the hard drive and crash everything and make it impossible to use the system?”Microsoft’s Response to Privacy Concerns
In response to the backlash, Microsoft emphasized its commitment to user privacy. According to a company blog post, all data captured by Recall will be stored locally on the user’s device. Users will have the ability to delete individual snapshots, adjust or delete ranges of time, and pause the feature from the System Tray on the Taskbar. Additionally, users can filter out specific apps and websites from being saved. Microsoft assured users of robust privacy settings to maintain control over their data.

Despite these assurances, the debate over the implications of Recall continues. Critics argue that the potential for misuse and privacy invasion are significant concerns. As AI technologies like Recall become more integrated into daily life, discussions around privacy, security, and ethical AI use are expected to intensify.