Microsoft backtracks on plan to auto-install new app amid 'Microslop' outrage

Microsoft abruptly reversed course on its plans to automatically install the AI-powered Microsoft 365 Copilot on Windows 11, Windows Latest reported.

According to PCMag, Microsoft notified users in September that Copilot would "soon install itself on all Windows devices with 365 desktop apps," but an exact rollout date was not specified.

Microsoft Copilot, formerly called "Bing Chat," was released in September 2023 and rebranded as Copilot two months later. In the years between Copilot's debut and today, however, public sentiment about AI has shifted significantly.

As Windows Latest noted, the tech giant was met with "heavy criticism for pushing Copilot down our throats, whether it's consumers or commercial customers." 

Amid ongoing discourse about the role of AI in all areas of daily life, the contention that tech firms are forcing the technology onto an unwilling public was commonplace.

When Copilot debuted, AI tools were novel and perhaps exciting — but in 2025, a host of unwanted, cascading societal impacts strongly influenced public sentiment. 

Data centers began popping up across the country, and communities near the facilities reported nonstop noise and air pollution. Those complaints didn't stay local for long, as the facilities' energy demand contributed to electric bills skyrocketing nationwide.

Ultimately, higher bills and disruptions to important sectors like education and hiring deeply soured public opinion. 

On X, user Ewan Morrison (@MrEwanMorrison) credited user pushback for Microsoft's 180 on forced Copilot installations, particularly the coinage of the term "Microslop," and encouraged others to continue making their voices heard regarding AI integration.

"'The outrage over 'microslop,'" Morrison began, quoting the headline. "That was us. Keep it up, folks."

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Commenters agreed.

"A meme name was more effective at stopping a billion dollar rollout than any regulatory body has ever been, that tells you everything about how tech policy actually works in 2026," one said.

"More billionaires are getting [angry] over people calling ai 'slop' … reports are showing that advertisements using ai generated content receive ~40% less engagement now microsoft isnt shipping ai with win11. WE ARE WINNING. KEEP IT UP," another wrote.

Morrison's observation aligned neatly with trends Data Center Watch spotted in early 2026: backlash against AI and data centers escalated sharply, prompting communities to take action.

In the final quarter of 2025 alone, community action halted $98 billion in planned data center development.

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