I don’t plan on using the feature and I don’t plan on using Windows much longer in the first place, but I find that going beyond the ragebait headlines and looking at the actual offering and its privacy policy and security documentation makes it look a lot more reasonable.

Microsoft is very explicit in detailing how the data stays on device and goes to great lengths to detail exactly how it works to keep data private, as well as having a lot of sensible exceptions (e.g., disabled for incognito web browsing sessions) and a high degree of control (users can disable it per app).

On top of all this it’s 100% optional and all of Microsoft’s AI features have global on/off switches.

Here are the settlements from Apple and Google regarding “how phones totally aren’t listening to you and selling the data to advertisers”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-voice-assistant-lawsuit-...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lopez-voice-assistant-payout-se...

Until those switches come in the crosshairs of someone's KPIs, and then magically they get flipped in whatever direction makes the engagement line go up. Unfortunately we live in a world where all of these companies have done this exact thing, over and over again. These headlines aren't ragebait, they're prescient.