The next evolution of Windows 11 is now available through Insider Preview Builds 26220.7344 for the Dev and Beta channels. This evolution integrates the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This standard protocol, developed by Anthropic and adopted by OpenAI and Google, enables AI agents to connect securely to programs, tools and services. Better still, with this test version, Microsoft is integrating connectors for File Explorer and Windows Settings. In concrete terms, these connectors enable AI to manage local files with user consent and parameter modifications via natural language input. On Copilot PCs , natural language search covers file names, contents and metadata. The AI is thus able to scan every nook and cranny of a folder. Gone is the logic of structuring directories, files and the like: wherever you save a file, the AI will find it.
AI agents in Windows, Microsoft’s future cash machine?
For the moment, as we’re in beta, these features are still experimental. They require manual activation in the AI Components settings to operate on your system. Finally, Microsoft asserts that all actions are logged for optimum traceability. This beta is an important step towards an agentic version of Windows 11. A development announced by Microsoft at the Ignite conference in November. The MCP connection positions Windows 11 as a pioneer in secure interactions between AI models and data. Finally, advanced functionalities require Copilot PCs, limiting access to recent devices to take advantage of hardware acceleration of these tools without penalizing overall use. This beta is therefore interesting, as it foreshadows the future that Microsoft wishes to write for Windows. Here we see the foundations of what could become a powerful automation layer, changing the way we work with Windows. The fact remains that these agents are likely to be billed, as it’s hard to imagine Microsoft not seeking to monetize its future developments.
