Understanding Intelligent Media Search
In a notable development within the tech landscape, Microsoft appears to be venturing into potentially controversial territory once again. Following the backlash from the Recall feature, which raised significant privacy concerns, the company is now introducing an 'intelligent media search' function in a Windows 11 Canary build. This new capability allows users to search for specific spoken words within their stored audio and video files, raising eyebrows about the implications of such a feature.
Spotted in build 27695 by the keen-eyed @XenoPanther, intelligent media search operates by transcribing all audio and video files saved on a Windows PC, making the spoken content searchable. This innovative tool aims to enhance user experience by enabling functionalities such as:
- Locating specific mentions in recorded meetings.
- Helping YouTube creators sift through extensive libraries for particular moments.
- Organizing files based on topics discussed within the media.
To utilize this feature, users are prompted to consent to the scanning of their media files. An AI model will be downloaded and installed, which will transcribe and index the local media files, paving the way for content-based searches.
Despite the potential benefits, the decision to reintroduce a feature that echoes the earlier Recall controversy is surprising. Recall, initially announced on May 20, was designed to take periodic screenshots of user activity, allowing for a searchable timeline of tasks. Although Microsoft assured that the feature would be opt-in and that the search index database would be encrypted, public outcry over privacy implications led to a delay in its launch. Recall is now set to return in Insider builds this October.
Similar to Recall, it seems that intelligent media search will be exclusive to the Copilot+ PCs, which were launched in June. These devices are equipped with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of performing at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS).
As Microsoft moves forward with this feature, it has not gone unnoticed that many users have expressed concerns regarding the potential misuse of scanned information. Critics argue that Microsoft could leverage this data to further train its AI models or even for targeted advertising. Additionally, the inherent security risks associated with such a feature remain a significant point of contention among users.
