Microsoft Edge may soon slap you with Copilot Ads

Following Chrome, Microsoft has begun highlighting its AI Assistant, Copilot, within the Edge browser. An advertisement at the bottom of Edge’s Canary settings prompts users to seek Copilot’s assistance to find solutions when encountering problems.

Microsoft has integrated Copilot into the Edge browser. You can ask it questions and generate page and video summaries anytime by clicking on its icon at the upper right of the Edge browser. Copilot will open in the sidebar where you can submit your queries and get answers.

Recently, we reported that Google Chrome has started nudging users to open Gemini from the tab bar with notifications. This could be a coincidence, or Microsoft wants users to know and ask about the AI Assistant available in the Edge browser.

At the bottom of the settings page in Edge Canary, you’ll now see an ad that says, “Running into a problem? Ask Copilot to offer known solutions.”

Clicking “Ask Copilot” opens Copilot in the sidebar with a pre-filled query regarding Edge Copilot AI assistance for the WebUI2 version of Edge settings, which Microsoft recently began rolling out.

Copilot further informs users that it will limit the current session to providing specific guidance on questions related to Microsoft Edge and will wait for user input before responding.

Copilot, powered by advanced AI, is designed to provide real-time assistance by offering solutions based on commonly known browser issues. While this could be a convenient feature for some users, the direct promotion of AI assistance in a settings menu raises questions about Microsoft’s approach to integrating ads within the browser’s interface.

Given Microsoft’s strong focus on AI integration, including recent tests on the inclusion of AI History Search, Microsoft may push even more ads to make users aware of Copilot’s presence in the Edge browser.

Why do we call this an ad or Microsoft’s promotion of Copilot in the Edge browser? Because, Copilot has been deeply integrated, appearing on the sidebar and in the right-click context menu for highlighted text as “Ask Copilot.” Microsoft has indeed shown Edge Copilot prompts in settings to educate users about Edge settings via Copilot, but this one is a targeted ad.

What do you think of Microsoft showing Copilot Ads in Edge Settings? Do you use Copilot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.