Microsoft Edge is integrating on-device artificial intelligence to fundamentally change how users search their browsing history. Moving beyond simple keyword matching, this new capability will allow natural language queries processed entirely locally on a user’s computer.

The feature leverages small language models (SLMs) that run directly on the device. When users search their history—asking questions like “Find that hiking gear website with 20% off I saw last week”—the AI analyzes their browsing patterns locally without sending data to the cloud.

This approach delivers two significant advantages:

1. Enhanced Privacy: All browsing history analysis occurs on the device, keeping sensitive information off remote servers.
2. Faster Performance: Local processing eliminates network latency, enabling near-instant results even offline.

The functionality is deeply integrated with Windows 11’s “Recall” feature (available on upcoming Copilot+ PCs), creating a system-wide memory aid. Users can retrieve not just websites, but specific content within pages they previously viewed, using conversational prompts.

Early demonstrations suggest the AI-powered history search could be up to 40% faster than traditional methods. Crucially, it aims to understand the intent behind searches, remembering context that simple keywords might miss.

Microsoft plans to roll out this local AI history search first on new Copilot+ PCs starting in late 2024, with broader availability expected for Windows 11 and Windows 10 users in subsequent updates.

Key features reflected:

• Local AI processing (on-device SLMs)
• Natural language search capability
• Integration with Windows Recall
• Offline functionality
• Privacy-focused design
• Performance improvements
• Availability timeline

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