Windows 10’s Cortana Makes Sure You Keep Your Promises

We’re still eons away from the sort of autonomous, proactive artificial intelligence of Tony Stark’s “Jarvis” from the Iron Man movies–but we’re making progress. Microsoft announced new capabilities for Cortana that will allow the virtual assistant to scan your email and proactively help you set reminders when you make commitments you need to keep.

The artificial intelligence capabilities of virtual assistants continue to evolve as Microsoft raises the bar. Cortana will now scan your emails for promises you make and help you keep those commitments by automatically prompting you to add reminders to your calendar.

When Apple first introduced Siri, it was primarily just a voice-enabled system that allowed you to activate a very limited set of functions in iOS using your voice. There was little, if any, proactive action taken by Siri. Google upped the ante with Google Now by monitoring your calendar and location to help you arrive at appointments on time. Now, Microsoft’s Cortana goes a step further by analyzing email for promises you’ve made so it can make sure you deliver.

Did you send an email to your child’s teacher promising to bring paper plates and napkins to the class party next week? Or, perhaps you emailed your boss and promised to have the PowerPoint presentation completed by Friday. According to a report from The Verge, Cortana will now be able to detect when you commit to doing something by a specified timeframe within an email, and create a card to help you set a reminder.

Cortana isn’t just going to take over your calendar, though, and start automatically populating it with reminders you don’t want or need. When Cortana detects a commitment you’ve made in an email it will offer you the option to create the reminder.

Check out the full story on Forbes: Cortana Now Helps You Keep Promises You Make In Email.