Microsoft is expected to end the lifecycle of its artificial intelligence-based assistant, Cortana, by the end of the year. The company has begun rolling out a new update for Cortana’s standalone application on Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store. However, rather than enhancing the user experience and adding new features, this update causes the app to stop functioning.

Earlier this year, Microsoft made an official announcement regarding the discontinuation of the standalone Cortana app. Just two months later, the company has already begun phasing out the app through the update. Nevertheless, at present, only Windows 11 Insider users in the Dev and Canary channels will be affected.

It is expected that Cortana will soon cease to work on other insider builds, followed by the stable build. Ultimately, this means that the standalone Cortana app will no longer exist for all PC users.

Following the update, the Cortana app displays the message “Cortana in Windows as a standalone app is deprecated,” along with a “Learn More” button. Clicking on this button redirects users to the support page.

In terms of the impact on users, the discontinuation of Cortana is unlikely to affect most people, as Windows 11 does not emphasize the use of Cortana extensively. However, the support page clarifies that this change will only affect Windows users. Cortana will continue to function on other services like Outlook, Teams, and Microsoft, until further notice.

Users should be aware that with the removal of Cortana from Windows, currently, there is no AI-based assistant available. However, the Amazon Alexa app can serve as an alternative for those who desire one. Additionally, Microsoft is already developing Windows Copilot, which will offer superior features, functionality, and integration compared to Cortana.

However, it is important to note that Copilot is still in the development phase and may take some time to be fully integrated into the operating system.