"Intelligent media search" in Windows 11 might be the AI feature that sells if done right

Reports online say that Microsoft is working on an AI-powered feature called “intelligent media research” on Windows 11, but how good will it be, though?

The news stemmed from a spot by famed Windows 11 insider @XenoPhanter on X from Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695 that was launched to the Canary channel dated August 30. The feature basically lets you use AI to scan and describe video and audio files, so you can search for specific spoken words within your media.

“Search by spoken words in your indexed video or audio files. By clicking ‘I agree,’ you consent to scanning the media files on your device. If needed, the required model will be downloaded and installed in the background,” the string of codes that hint at the feature reads, courtesy of the insider.

“Once the AI model is set up, it needs to transcribe your media files and index them before enabling content-based search. We’ll inform you once the process is complete,” the lengthy description continues.

But if you remember how the controversial all-knowing Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs turned out for Microsoft, well, you may remember that it was such a huge PR mess for the Redmond tech giant. So, if the Windows makers can get it right this time with the “intelligent media search,” it may be the feature that finally sells.

Microsoft’s reputation among users isn’t so great when it comes to security, data collection, and advertising practices: countless ads on Edge when you try to download other browsers, or ads disguised as “Recommendation” on the Start menu or the Settings app. You name it.

That, coupled with the security concerns surrounding the Recall feature, has become a recipe for a PR disaster for a feature that’s actually pretty useful. And if the AI-powered “intelligent media search” faces the same fate once it launches, well, it may be time for Microsoft to rethink its AI strategy.