Microsoft Experiments with New Copilot Voices and Hints at a Fourth Avatar
Visual Changes in Copilot’s Avatar
Recent updates to Microsoft Copilot have drawn attention from community testers, who have reported a significant redesign of Erin, the assistant’s third avatar. Previously known for its lava-like appearance, Erin has now transformed into a more charming red-capped mushroom, blending seamlessly with the softer color palette established by the existing avatars, Mika and Aqua.
Introduction of a New Avatar
In addition to the changes made to Erin, there are hints of a fourth avatar named Ellie. Currently, the only visible component of Ellie is its background, while the animated character remains absent. This suggests that development on Ellie is still in progress, and there is no clear timeline for its release. Given the slow rollout of previous avatars, it’s possible that users may have to wait several months before Ellie becomes available.
New Voice Options
The latest builds of Copilot also reveal two new voice options: Alder and Elm. A small number of users have already begun to access these voices, with an expanded rollout anticipated soon as server-side settings are implemented more broadly. Users can find these additional voice options in the assistant’s voice settings panel, creating a more personalized experience when interacting with Copilot.
Enhancing Copilot’s Personality
Microsoft’s strategy focuses on enhancing Copilot’s personality incrementally. These additions are meant to give the digital assistant a more distinct character across various platforms, including Windows, the web, and mobile devices. Importantly, this approach does not require altering Copilot’s underlying language model with each update, allowing for smoother and more stable updates.
Insights from the Testing Community
The updates to both avatars and voice options have primarily come to light through standard APK and package teardown methods commonly used by the reverse-engineering community. This technique has proven to be an effective early-warning system for new features and capabilities that may be introduced in Copilot.
User Experience and Personalization
The ongoing developments, including the redesigned avatars and new voice options, enhance user experience by making interactions feel more personalized and engaging. By giving users the ability to choose from various character designs and voice tones, Microsoft is cultivating a more relatable and enjoyable experience with Copilot.
The information gathered from community testers indicates that these enhancements are just the beginning. By continuing to build on the Copilot framework, Microsoft aims to solidify its place as an essential digital assistant in various technology ecosystems. As more updates roll out, it will be interesting to see how users respond to these changes and what further advancements will be implemented in the future.
