The latest updates expand Copilot’s role inside File Explorer, allowing users to right-click files and folders to trigger AI-powered summaries, previews, and editing tools. Microsoft says this will boost productivity. Critics say it’s another step towards turning a fast, functional operating system into a cluttered, AI-heavy experience.

For many users, File Explorer is fine as is. It’s meant to be lightweight, predictable, and quick. Injecting AI into such a fundamental tool feels less like innovation and more like disruption for disruption’s sake.

Since Copilot’s introduction, backlash has been persistent. Complaints range from unnecessary pop-ups and increased system resource usage to a lack of meaningful opt-out options. Power users, in particular, argue that Microsoft is prioritising AI spectacle over usability, stability and performance.

Microsoft’s Aggressive AI Rollout Faces User Backlash After January Missteps

This comes after  Microsoft has made a terrible start to 2026, with three major missteps in January alone.

First, it was the renaming of Microsoft 365 to a rather unoriginal Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Next, major problems were discovered with Copilot (Microsoft’s AI assistant), and then the latest Windows 11 update broke the widely used Notepad app.

This aggressive rollout reflects Microsoft’s massive bet on artificial intelligence. Having invested billions into AI infrastructure and partnerships, the company is clearly determined to make Copilot unavoidable across Windows, Office, Edge and beyond. The problem is that inevitability doesn’t equal acceptance.

What users keep asking for is simple: choice. Let people decide how much AI they want in their workflows — or whether they want it at all. Instead, Microsoft continues to weave Copilot deeper into the operating system, making it harder to ignore and even harder to remove.