Why Microsoft’s AI Is Facing Backlash from Users
Microsoft's new AI features in Windows 11 and 365 Copilot face user backlash over data privacy, reduced performance, and intrusive automation, prompting company defense.
Jersey City, N.J., Nov. 29, 2025
Microsoft’s AI-infused products including Windows 11, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and other “agentic” device-level AI features are drawing criticism from users worldwide. The backlash surged after the company highlighted new AI capabilities at its Ignite event in early Nov this year. This prompted hundreds of negative comments on X and expressing concern over data privacy, device performance, and intrusive automation.
Pavan Davuluri, President of Microsoft’s Windows + Devices business, announced new AI-powered features for Windows on Nov 10 via X (twitter). He also invited users to an online Ignite session, describing Windows as evolving into an “agentic OS,” capable of processing natural-language commands and taking autonomous actions.
The announcement triggered widespread disapproval online. The official post received hundreds of negative comments and over a million views before Microsoft locked the comment section.
Users reportedly complained that popular non-AI features had been neglected, and that existing glitches and delays in Windows 11 updates remained unresolved.
During Dell’s Nov earnings call, Dell COO Jeffrey Clarke reportedly noted that roughly 500 million devices capable of running Windows 11 have yet to be upgraded.
Users raised multiple issues: potential bloatware, reduced performance, increased security risks, intrusive ads, and a drop in overall device reliability as a result of the agentic AI rollout.
Microsoft’s AI Offerings & Background
Since 2023, Microsoft has significantly expanded its generative-AI investments first through backing of OpenAI, and later via proprietary AI solutions. Its Copilot AI integrates with Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Meanwhile, updates to Windows 11 aim to turn every compatible PC into an AI-enabled “AI PC.”
In 2024, Microsoft faced backlash over its “Recall” feature for Copilot+ PCs, which allowed users to opt-in for activity snapshots. Privacy experts warned of the security and privacy risks. User demand and criticism led Microsoft to delay the feature; it was eventually shipped in April 2025.
Microsoft reiterated its commitment to the “safety, privacy, and security” of its AI-infused services, saying that the tools are intended for organisations, businesses, educational institutions, and developers, as well as personal users.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft posted on X on Nov. 15, 2025 stating
“Let us move beyond zero-sum thinking and the winner-take-all hype and focus instead on building broad capabilities that harness the power of this technology to achieve local success in each firm, which then leads to broad economic growth and societal benefits.”
Adding to that Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division addressed criticism on X,
“Jeez there are so many cynics! It cracks me up when I hear people call AI underwhelming. I grew up playing Snake on a Nokia phone! The fact that people are unimpressed that we can have a fluent conversation with a super smart AI that can generate any image/video is mindblowing to me.”
Despite those reassurances, users continued to complain of AI “hallucinations” inaccurate or misleading AI outputs and worried that errors might undermine their work.
Legacy tech giants such as Microsoft face different kinds of backlash compared with newer AI-native firms (e.g., OpenAI or AI startups). While newer firms often get feedback on product quality or training-data legality, legacy companies are criticized for embedding experimental AI deeply into consumer devices and widely used software directly affecting everyday user experiences.
