Nearly 30 years after the debut of Clippy, Microsoft is reviving the concept of a digital assistant with Mico, a new animated character for Copilot’s voice mode. The playful, expressive orb, which rhymes with “pico,” is designed to respond in real time with facial expressions as you speak, creating a more personal and engaging interaction. Mico is now enabled by default in Copilot’s voice interface, though users can choose to disable the animated character if they prefer a simpler experience. “You can see it, it reacts as you speak to it, and if you talk about something sad, you’ll see its facial expressions react almost immediately,” said Jacob Andreou, corporate vice president of product and growth at Microsoft AI, in an interview with The Verge. “All the technology fades into the background, and you just start talking to this cute orb and build this connection with it.” The new feature is currently available only in the United States, with Microsoft planning to expand it to other regions in the future. Mico’s ability to respond dynamically is powered by a new memory system within Copilot, which allows it to recall details about users and their ongoing tasks, making interactions more contextually relevant. In addition to its conversational role, Mico includes a new “Learn Live” mode designed to function as a Socratic tutor. This mode guides users through complex topics using interactive whiteboards, visual aids, and real-time feedback—making it especially useful for students preparing for exams or individuals learning a new language. Mico is part of Microsoft’s broader effort to give Copilot a distinct identity. Earlier this year, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman hinted at a future where Copilot has a permanent presence, a personal “room,” and even the ability to evolve over time. “Copilot will certainly have a kind of permanent identity, a presence, and it will have a room that it lives in, and it will age,” Suleyman said in July. The launch of Mico also supports Microsoft’s latest push to encourage people to speak directly to their devices. The company is running TV ads promoting the latest Windows 11 PCs as “the computer you can talk to,” a messaging strategy that echoes its earlier, less successful attempts with Cortana. The virtual assistant was discontinued on Windows 11 a few years ago after failing to gain widespread adoption. While Mico is far more advanced than its predecessors—offering real-time expression, memory, and interactive learning—Microsoft still faces the same fundamental challenge: convincing users that talking to a computer isn’t awkward or strange. To help with that, Mico includes Easter eggs, a nod to Clippy’s legacy. “It’s funny you mention Clippy; there is an Easter egg when you get to try Mico. If you poke Mico very, very quickly, something special may happen,” Andreou teased. “We all live in Clippy’s shadow in some sense.” Correction, October 23rd: A draft Microsoft blog post previously mentioned Mico would launch in the US, UK, and Canada. The feature is currently available only in the United States.