Update: August 3, 2023 (11:33 PM ET): Microsoft has hit the final nail in Cortana’s coffin as far as its Windows presence is concerned. Through an updated end-of-support document, the company has announced that it will no longer support Cortana on Windows starting August 2023.

Original article: June 5, 2023 (2:18 AM ET): Microsoft made tech headlines this year with its Bing Chat AI tool and several other AI-powered services. But the company’s original smart assistant, Cortana, has somehow lingered on in Windows and several other services.

Now, Microsoft has announced (h/t: Windows Central) that it’s killing off Cortana in Windows in favor of its new AI tools. The Redmond company explained on its website:

We are making some changes to Windows that will impact users of the Cortana app. Starting in late 2023, we will no longer support Cortana in Windows as a standalone app. 

Microsoft is directing affected users to try the AI-powered Bing and Bing Chat, Windows 11 voice access, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Windows Copilot.

This news nevertheless comes a couple of years after Microsoft killed the Cortana mobile apps on Android and iOS. So it’s not a total surprise to see Cortana being shut down on Windows.

This doesn’t mean Cortana will disappear completely, though. Microsoft says Cortana will still be available in the Outlook and Teams mobile apps, as well as in Teams displays and rooms.