Microsoft Turns 50 and Supercharges Copilot to Stay Ahead in the AI Race

REDMOND, Washington – As Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary this week, the tech giant made it clear it’s focused on the future—especially in artificial intelligence. At a lively event at its headquarters in Redmond, thousands gathered to witness what’s next, including a showcase of Microsoft Copilot’s latest features.

Copilot, the company’s AI assistant, is getting a major upgrade. It will now take on more personalized and proactive tasks—like remembering your birthday, suggesting gifts, or helping you prep for a big presentation. Users can also assign it to book restaurant tables or recommend podcasts and shopping finds. And yes, you can opt out of the memory feature.

“It’s about freeing up your time,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for consumers. He described how this new “agentic” AI will work especially well on partner platforms like OpenTable and 1-800-Flowers.com, where Microsoft has done extra integration work.

Mehdi, who started as an intern at the company over 30 years ago, reminisced about Microsoft’s transformation—from Bill Gates reading books overnight, to Steve Ballmer’s iconic “developers!” chant, to becoming a major AI and cloud player under current CEO Satya Nadella.

The 50th anniversary event also saw Gates, Ballmer, and Nadella share the stage. Nadella emphasized that Microsoft’s mission is not just to celebrate the past, but to empower people to build the future. Gates even joked about Copilot potentially becoming Microsoft’s CEO at its 100th year.

Today, Microsoft is pushing hard to keep up with AI leaders like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI. Copilot is now integrated across Microsoft’s core business tools and also has a warmer, consumer-focused version. According to Mehdi, some users love its personality—others, not so much. But as the tech gets smarter and more tailored, Microsoft is only halfway through its AI journey.