Microsoft unveils “Copilot Appearance” – a virtual companion that smiles and ages

• Copilot Appearance is an experimental Microsoft Copilot feature that introduces a virtual character with real-time expressions and voice.
• The animated avatar reacts visually during voice chats in the browser and is available to a limited group of users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
• It adds a persistent identity, memory, and personality to the AI experience.

Microsoft is quietly rolling out an experimental feature known as “Copilot Appearance,” which is an animated AI avatar that adds real‑time expressions, gestures, voice, and memory to its Copilot chatbot.

What is Copilot Appearance?

The Appearance feature introduces a blob‑like character that visually responds (smiling, nodding, looking surprised or thoughtful) based on the conversation context.

In which regions is the AI character available?

It currently works exclusively in voice mode within the browser version of Copilot. It is available to a select group of users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

How to enable Copilot Appearance?

You enable the Copilot Appearance on your account from this Copilot page by clicking the “Try now” button.

Alternatively, you can turn on the feature by clicking the “Talk to Copilot” (mic) button next to the prompt box, then clicking the “Voice settings” (gear) button and turning on the “Appearance” toggle switch.

Currently, the feature is still experimental and not available in enterprise or Windows 11, macOS, or mobile apps.

This time around, Microsoft is rolling out this feature slowly to avoid past problems, such as chatbot AI going wrong with inappropriate responses and other mistakes.

Why does this new character matter?

According to Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, this new feature is being touted as the next leap toward a deeply personalized assistant.

Unlike static chatbots, Copilot will have a “permanent identity, a presence, a room that it lives in, and it will age” (via The Verge), bringing digital personality a step closer to human companionship, and even accumulating subtle visual wear over time to evoke a sense of “digital patina.”

This isn’t just cosmetic. Microsoft has also noted that the AI character will have conversational memory, remembering earlier voice chats to produce more contextual and ongoing dialogue.

While this feature may remind you of Clippy or Microsoft Bob, the new avatar is intentionally subtle and minimalistic, aiming to enhance engagement without the intrusive antics of old Office assistants.

Although we’re still in the early days of this feature, it’s a bold move that redefines how users emotionally engage with chatbot AI, not as a faceless tool, but as a companion with evolving identity and presence.

Today, Microsoft is testing one specific avatar. However, in the past, the company has also shown that Copilot could technically take any shape, even Clippy. So, this could be another feature coming to the chatbot.