Microsoft unveiled Mico, a voice-activated virtual assistant for Copilot

It will initially be available to users in the US, UK, and Canada.

Mico, a virtual assistant for the Copilot chatbot's voice mode, was announced by Microsoft, according to The Verge. The animated ball-shaped character responds to the user's speech in real time.

Mico has been tested for several months and is now enabled by default in Copilot's voice mode. Users can disable the character if desired.

Mico displays "live emotions" during conversations and changes its facial expressions depending on the topic of conversation, Microsoft announced.

Mico will initially be available only in the US, UK, and Canada. The assistant uses Copilot's memory feature, which stores information about the user and their tasks for a more personalized experience.

Mico has also added a Learn Live mode, which turns Mico into an interactive tutor. In this mode, the assistant doesn't provide pre-set answers, but rather guides the user toward understanding concepts. The feature includes interactive whiteboards and visual cues.