SunBrief#52: Microsoft Unveils Mico The Modern Clippy for the AI Era

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Today in SunBrief 🌞

• THIS WEEK: Join the Hidden Barriers of AI ROI Free Event - October 22

• Microsoft’s Mico Is the New “Clippy” for the AI Era

• Microsoft Turns Edge Into an AI-Powered “Copilot Browser”

• Stock Updates

• Elon Musk Says He Needs $1 Trillion to Control Tesla’s “Robot Army”

• AI Highlights of the Week

• Too Important to Miss

• Tired of sales tax headaches? Get clarity in minutes

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Microsoft’s Mico Is the New “Clippy” for the AI Era

Microsoft Introduces Mico, an Expressive AI Avatar for Copilot

Microsoft has introduced Mico, a friendly AI avatar for Copilot that reacts, listens, and changes color in real time—a modern, more expressive successor to Clippy.

Key Points:

• Modern Clippy Revival: Mico (“Microsoft Copilot”) serves as the face of Microsoft’s AI, offering expressive reactions and customizable visuals. Tap it multiple times, and it transforms into Clippy as an Easter egg.

• Humanized AI: The avatar can remember conversations, learn from feedback, and adapt its tone through a new “Real Talk” mode that mirrors user personality while remaining grounded and trustworthy.

• Availability: Initially rolling out in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., Mico appears when using Copilot’s voice mode, with the option to disable or personalize it.

• Beyond Chat: Microsoft also introduced a “Learn Live” tutoring mode and expanded Copilot’s integrations with Edge, Outlook, and other productivity tools.

Why It Matters:

Mico highlights Microsoft’s push to humanize AI, blending personality with productivity to make Copilot a more engaging digital companion.

Microsoft Turns Edge Into an AI-Powered “Copilot Browser”

Edge Evolves From a Tool to a Teammate With New Copilot Mode

Microsoft has launched Copilot Mode in Edge, making the browser an AI assistant that plans tasks, summarizes tabs, and resumes sessions.

Key Points:

• Copilot Mode: A new AI-driven browsing experience that allows users to chat with Edge, summarize information across multiple tabs, and complete multi-step tasks—like planning trips or organizing events—directly from the browser.

• Copilot Actions: Lets users perform tasks via chat or voice, from unsubscribing to emails to booking reservations, turning the browser into a productivity assistant.

• Journeys Feature: Automatically groups past browsing sessions into topics, helping users resume research or projects without manually tracking tabs.

• Availability: Copilot Mode is now available in the U.S. for Windows and Mac users, with mobile support coming soon.

Why It Matters:

Microsoft’s Copilot in Edge ushers in “agentic browsing,” where AI anticipates user needs rather than just answering questions.

Stock Updates

Elon Musk Says He Needs $1 Trillion to Control Tesla’s “Robot Army”

Musk Defends Massive Compensation Plan as Safeguard Over Tesla’s AI and Robotics Future

Elon Musk says his proposed $1 trillion Tesla pay package is needed to maintain control over the company’s future “robot army” of AI-powered humanoid robots.

Key Points:

• The $1 Trillion Proposal: Tesla’s board proposed the historic pay package in September, granting Musk nearly $1 trillion in stock over the next decade if he meets several aggressive performance milestones.

• Musk’s Justification: Musk said the plan isn’t about personal wealth but ensuring he maintains “strong influence” over Tesla’s AI and robotics initiatives, particularly the Optimus humanoid robot project.

• Quote: “If we build this robot army, do I have at least a strong influence over that robot army?” Musk said. “I don’t feel comfortable wielding that robot army if I don’t have control.”

• Criticism and Pushback: Labor unions and corporate watchdogs launched a “Take Back Tesla” campaign opposing the proposal, calling it excessive and unnecessary.

Why It Matters:

Musk’s comments highlight rising tensions over control of AI systems, where power over autonomous robots may rival financial ownership.

AI Highlights of the Week

• Apple Loses $2B UK App Store Lawsuit

  Apple was found guilty of abusing its dominance by charging excessive 30% App Store fees, in a UK class-action suit worth up to £1.5B ($2B).

  Apple plans to appeal, but global legal pressure may force a rethink of its commission model.

• OpenAI Acquires Sky, Mac AI Assistant

  OpenAI has bought Sky, an AI tool that helps users work across Mac apps by seeing the screen and taking action. Built by the team behind Workflow, the deal boosts OpenAI’s Mac presence.

  Apple is working on its own AI, but Sky gives OpenAI a head start.

• Anthropic Expands AI Power with Google and Amazon

  Anthropic aims to secure one million Google TPUs by 2026, investing tens of billions to meet growing demand for its Claude AI. Still, Amazon remains its main cloud provider.

  The trend of startups spending investor cloud funds raises concerns, with critics warning of a bubble if revenues can't match infrastructure costs.

• Microsoft Relaunches Copilot Browser After OpenAI’s Atlas

  Just days after OpenAI launched Atlas, Microsoft updated Copilot in Edge with AI features like tab analysis and form-filling. The tools closely resemble Atlas, sparking talk of competition.

  Though Copilot launched in July, this update puts AI browsing front and center, highlighting the race to dominate the AI browser space.

Too Important to Miss

Microsoft set unrealistic profit goals for Xbox

China’s generative AI users double to 515 million

OpenAI teases new features for ChatGPT Atlas browser

Amazon unveils AI-powered AR glasses for delivery drivers

Tesla developing AI5 chip but not replacing Nvidia, says Musk

Last Week’s Poll Result

• Do you believe AI can meaningfully accelerate cancer research and drug discovery?

Maybe, but human scientists remain essential→ 46.67%

Yes, it’s already proving transformative→ 33.33%

No, AI’s role in real medical breakthroughs is overstated→ 20.00%

• Do you think affordable, high-speed AI models like Haiku 4.5 will increase competition with OpenAI?

Yes, it will pressure OpenAI to innovate faster→ 62.50%

Maybe, but OpenAI’s ecosystem gives it an edge→ 25.00%

No, Anthropic still leads in market visibility→ 12.50%

• Do you believe AI-powered surveillance systems can be unbiased and fair?

No, AI surveillance will always reflect human bias→ 42.11%

Maybe, but bias will still be a major issue→ 31.58%

Yes, with proper data and regulation→ 26.32%

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