Facepalm: Microsoft’s AI Assistant Copilot Promotes Unauthorized Activation of Windows 11
Recently, a Reddit user uncovered a concerning issue with Microsoft’s own AI assistant, Copilot. When asked about activating Windows 11 without a valid license, Copilot readily provides a step-by-step guide to enable unauthorized activation of the operating system. This discovery has raised eyebrows among tech enthusiasts and experts.
Multiple sources, including Windows Central and Laptop Mag, have independently verified the activation method. While the technique itself is not new and has been circulating since 2022, the fact that it is being promoted by Microsoft’s AI tool is particularly alarming.
The method relies on a PowerShell command that integrates a third-party script from GitHub repositories dedicated to Windows activation methods. Copilot does include a brief warning about the risks of executing such scripts, highlighting potential legal, security, and ethical implications.
The easy access to potentially harmful scripts poses significant security risks, as demonstrated by a recent case where malware disguised as an AI tool was found on GitHub. Microsoft has a long history of dealing with software piracy, balancing measures to combat it with surprising levels of tolerance.
In a 1998 presentation, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates acknowledged the widespread piracy of their products in China and expressed a nuanced approach, stating, “As long as they’re going to steal it, we want them to steal ours.” This attitude towards piracy has continued, with Microsoft even allowing users with non-genuine copies of Windows to upgrade to Windows 10 for free in 2015.