Microsoft won’t apologize for AI Recall feature’s security holes, but it is making changes

It’s only a few days until Apple unveils its own AI features at WWDC with an emphasize on privacy. The time is right for one of the company’s chief competitors, Microsoft, to address the ‘security disaster’ that its hallmark AI feature, Recall, is said to be.

Today Microsoft has done just that. They aren’t apologizing for Recall’s security holes, but they are making changes that are meant to alleviate users’ concerns.

Changes coming to Recall AI feature

Pavan Davuluri, writing for the Window Experience Blog, outlines several key changes being implemented for Recall:

First, we are updating the set-up experience of Copilot+ PCs to give people a clearer choice to opt-in to saving snapshots using Recall. If you don’t proactively choose to turn it on, it will be off by default.

Second, Windows Hello enrollment is required to enable Recall. In addition, proof of presence is also required to view your timeline and search in Recall.

Third, we are adding additional layers of data protection including “just in time” decryption protected by Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) so Recall snapshots will only be decrypted and accessible when the user authenticates. In addition, we encrypted the search index database.

The post goes on to explain all the various ways Microsoft has sought to prioritize user privacy in building Recall. In other words, it hopes you can trust it, but it’s also making changes that account for the already-broken trust.

9to5Mac’s Take

Recall demonstrates both the power and danger of new AI technologies. On one hand, the ability to have your computer keep track of anything and everything you ever do, so it can intelligently provide important information to you later, is pretty extraordinary. It’s like having a photographic memory for your computing life.

At the same time, it could be incredibly scary if that data isn’t truly secure. It’s good to see Microsoft making changes in response to the recent privacy outcry, but broken trust is hard to rebuild.