Microsoft's 'Mico' personality upgrade

PLUS: Turn spreadsheet data into insights with Copilot Vision

Good morning, AI enthusiasts. Microsoft’s Clippy virtual paperclip wasn’t the most appreciated assistant, but it may have just been ahead of its time.

Microsoft’s just introduced ‘Mico’, a companion that aims to bring a new visual personality to Copilot — alongside new features built for the “human-centered” AI push, helping carve the company’s own identity beyond OpenAI's shadow.

Reminder: Our next live workshop is today at 4 PM EST — join and learn the importance of context engineering and how to incorporate the core skill into your AI workflows. RSVP here.

In today’s AI rundown:

  • Copilot’s personality upgraded with ‘Mico’

  • OpenAI acquires Mac automation startup

  • Turn spreadsheet data into insights with Copilot Vision

  • Netflix ‘all in’ on AI for advertising, production

  • 4 new AI tools, community workflows, and more

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

MICROSOFT

Image source: Microsoft

The Rundown: Microsoft just hosted its Fall Release event and introduced ‘Mico’, an animated blob avatar that gives Copilot a visual personality — alongside the launch of new personalization features, health initiatives, browser automation, and more.

The details:

  • Mico appears as an animated orb that shifts colors based on tone, with an Easter egg that morphs it into the classic ‘Clippy’ when repeatedly tapped.

  • Copilot introduces features like Memory & Personalization for recall, connectors for new data links, and Proactive Actions for more hands-on help.

  • The assistant is also getting Groups, allowing for real-time collaboration with up to 32 people across AI tasks.

  • Health upgrades include medical responses based on Harvard Health sources, along with the ability to help locate doctors based on specific preferences.

  • Copilot Mode gets several new features in Microsoft’s Edge browser, including Actions for multi-step workflows and Journeys for returning to old projects.

Why it matters: Microsoft returns to its Clippy roots (love the Easter egg) with a new mascot/companion for the AI era. With its new personalization and ‘human-centered’ efforts, the tech giant is forging even more of an AI identity separate from the company’s hot and cold relationship with OpenAI. Watch the full Fall Release here.

TOGETHER WITH STACKAI

The Rundown: StackAI is the no-code, drag-and-drop building platform for enterprise AI. Easily design and deploy powerful AI agents to automate tedious tasks, all with white-glove support from AI experts.

StackAI allows you to:

  • Leverage integrations with 100+ enterprise tools

  • Export as a chatbot, form, API, and more

  • Manage roles, control feature access, and monitor analytics

OPENAI

Image source: OpenAI

The Rundown: OpenAI just acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the startup behind unreleased Mac automation tool Sky — bringing on the team that created the iOS app (Workflow) that eventually became Apple Shortcuts after a 2017 acquisition.

The details:

  • Sky operates as a floating AI interface on Mac desktops, analyzing screen content and executing tasks across applications.

  • OAI plans to integrate Sky's macOS capabilities into ChatGPT, potentially enabling the assistant to control desktop apps and automate workflows natively.

  • The acquisition comes on the heels of OpenAI’s Atlas browser release this week, which is currently a Mac-only application.

  • The move also adds to OpenAI’s list of recent acqui-hires that includes startups Statsig, Context AI, Roi, Multi, Crossing Minds, and Alex.

Why it matters: While the initial reception to Atlas has been mixed, OAI is clearly moving to position itself as the AI layer for Mac users — all before the tech giant even gets its own strategy together. The move also follows the acqui-hire trend that has seen AI labs bring on full, specialized teams to raise talent in specific product areas.

AI TRAINING

The Rundown: In this tutorial, you will learn how to use Microsoft Copilot Desktop's Voice and Vision features to analyze Google Sheets or Excel data hands-free, asking questions aloud and getting instant insights without typing formulas.

Step-by-step:

  1. Install Microsoft Copilot from Microsoft Store (Windows) or App Store (macOS 14.0+/M1 chip), open the app, and sign in with your Microsoft account

  2. Go to Settings via profile icon, toggle on "Voice Mode" and "Copilot Vision", then open your Google Sheets/Excel file in the browser

  3. Say "Hey Copilot", click the specs icon (eye glasses) on the toolbar to enable Vision mode — Copilot scans and confirms it sees your data

  4. Ask analysis questions: "What's the most revenue-generating product?" or "Calculate total revenue" - Copilot highlights cells and explains calculations

  5. Close the toolbar, then prompt: "Draft a professional analysis report with Executive Summary, Top Performers table, and Key Insights"

Pro tip: Use this workflow for learning new skills, reading technical documents, or studying articles.

PRESENTED BY MONGODB

The Rundown: AI agents are reshaping how startups build intelligent products, and MongoDB is the engine that makes it possible. As a unified vector and document database, MongoDB helps your agents think, plan, and remember.

MongoDB gives your AI agents:

  • Vector & Hybrid Search for smarter context

  • Short & long-term memory in one place

  • Unified platform from prototype to scale

NETFLIX

Image source: Midjourney

The Rundown: Netflix executives declared that the streaming giant is going “all in” on AI during the company’s earnings call this week across both business operations and content production, coming despite the broader industry’s continued skepticism.

The details:

  • Netflix outlined plans to deploy AI across recommendations, advertising, and production workflows, saying the company is “well positioned” for the AI boom.

  • Several Netflix productions have already incorporated the tech for uses like age-reversing and experimenting with wardrobe and set concept ideation.

  • CEO Ted Sarandos said he isn’t worried about AI replacing creativity, believing the tech will help creators “tell stories better, faster, and in new ways.”

  • He also said, “AI can give creatives better tools to enhance experiences for our members, but it doesn’t automatically make you a great storyteller if you’re not.”

Why it matters: Between AI actors, feuds with OpenAI over Sora, constant battles with Hollywood unions, and backlash from fans, AI’s transition into entertainment has been anything but smooth. But as advances continue, the balancing act between companies like Netflix, talent, and fans will only get more difficult.

QUICK HITS

  • 👨‍💻 Averi - The AI Marketing Workspace combining strategy, content creation, and expert collaboration in one unified platform*

  • 🌎 HunyuanWorld-Mirror - Create 3D worlds from text, image, or video

  • 📚 PokeeResearch - Open-source, SOTA 7B parameter deep research agent

  • ✍️ Spiral - Every’s new AI writing partner with taste

*Sponsored Listing

OpenAI’s head of Sora, Bill Peebles, announced new upgrades coming to the AI video tool, including character cameos, video editing, and community improvements.

Stability AI unveiled a new partnership with Electronic Arts, bringing AI models and tools to the company’s game design process.

OpenAI introduced Company Knowledge, a new feature for ChatGPT Enterprise, Business, and Edu users that helps consolidate information across apps.

Anthropic rolled out Claude’s memory feature to Max users, allowing the assistant to remember previous conversations and create specific context for individual projects.

Lightricks launched LTX-2, an open-source AI video model with native 4K generations, synchronized audio, and up to 15-second outputs.

COMMUNITY

Every newsletter, we showcase how a reader is using AI to work smarter, save time, or make life easier.

Today’s workflow comes from reader Canaan M. in Sprague River, OR:

"I own a small upholstery business and specifically use ChatGPT to generate ideas for blog posts, competitor analysis of my business compared to other shops in the area, and image generation for custom seat designs and vehicle additions."

How do you use AI? Tell us here.

That's it for today!

Before you go we’d love to know what you thought of today's newsletter to help us improve The Rundown experience for you.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

See you soon,

Rowan, Joey, Zach, Shubham, and Jennifer — the humans behind The Rundown

Reply

or to participate.