Microsoft has begun testing a new animated character for its Copilot AI assistant within the Microsoft Edge browser. The new avatar, named Mico, appears as a small, circular, cartoon-like creature and is designed to provide a more interactive user experience.

Currently, Mico is part of an A/B test, meaning it is only visible to a select group of Edge users. For those included in the test, Mico appears by default on the right side of the Copilot sidebar. The character displays various animations that correspond to user interactions with the AI, such as when processing queries or delivering responses.

A New Animated Assistant Emerges

The introduction of Mico marks a new effort by Microsoft to personalize its AI tools. The avatar’s function is to offer visual feedback during conversations with Copilot. Users who are part of the limited test group have the option to disable the animated character. By navigating to Copilot’s settings, they can turn off the Mico feature, which reverts the icon back to the standard Copilot logo.

The design and interactive nature of Mico have immediately drawn comparisons to one of Microsoft’s most well-known past creations: Clippy. The animated paperclip served as the default Office Assistant in Microsoft Office versions from Office 97 through Office 2003, offering tips and assistance to users.

Echoes of Clippy in Modern AI

While Clippy was officially retired years ago, Microsoft has referenced the character in more recent products. For instance, Clippy was reintroduced as an emoji in Microsoft 365 and as a background theme in Microsoft Teams. The appearance of Mico is viewed as another step in the company’s history of deploying animated helpers to engage with users.

The testing of Mico is confined to the Copilot integration within the Microsoft Edge browser. The company has not announced a timeline for a wider rollout or its inclusion in other Copilot-enabled products. The feature’s reception during this testing phase is currently being evaluated.