Microsoft is discontinuing its virtual assistant Cortana

Microsoft has officially bid farewell to its digital assistant, fulfilling its earlier promise to scrap Cortana in Windows 11.

Earlier in June, the tech giant said that Cortana's days were numbered and set a firm August deadline for its departure. Microsoft's decision to retire Cortana wasn't unexpected. The digital assistant had struggled to reach full maturation and gain adoption like its counterparts from other tech giants. And truth be told, not a lot of people will miss it because most of us rarely used it.

Besides, Microsoft had already repositioned Cortana for business use, making its exit from Microsoft Teams seem like the logical next step. Notably, Cortana will also bid farewell to Microsoft Teams later this year, leaving only Outlook mobile with its assistance until the end of 2023.

The decision to sunset the virtual assistant from various platforms, save for Outlook mobile, is largely influenced by the upcoming Windows Copilot AI, a more ambitious desktop assistant. This forthcoming AI, integrated as a side panel in Windows 11, will incorporate Bing AI and offer extensive customization options for Windows settings, eliminating the need for users to navigate through menus to find specific options.

While Windows Copilot is still in its early stages, Microsoft aims to bolster its capabilities significantly in the future. Speculation suggests that Windows 11 might see the debut of Copilot in the second half of this year, making the removal of Cortana a strategic move to pave the way for this new assistant.