Microsoft aims to elevate generative AI within Windows — and the PCs that operate it.
In a keynote prior to its annual Build developer conference this week, Microsoft introduced a new range of Windows machines dubbed Copilot+ PCs, along with generative AI-driven features like Recall, which aids users in locating apps, files, and other content they’ve previously accessed. Microsoft’s generative AI brand, Copilot, will become more deeply embedded in the Windows 11 experience. Additionally, new Microsoft Surface devices are on the horizon.
Here’s a summary of all the major announcements.
Copilot+ PCs
Copilot+ PCs represent Microsoft’s AI-centric, flagship Windows hardware vision. Each comes with dedicated NPUs to support AI functionalities like Recall. They come with a minimum of 16GB of RAM and SSD storage.
The initial Copilot+ PCs will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips, which Microsoft suggests can deliver up to 15 hours of web browsing and 20 hours of video playback. Intel and AMD have also committed to creating processors for Copilot+ devices, collaborating with various manufacturers, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung.
Copilot+ PCs start at $999, with some available for preorder today.
Surface Pro and Surface Laptop
Microsoft’s newly revealed Surface devices, the Surface Laptop, and Surface Pro, prioritize performance and battery life.
The latest Surface Laptop, available in 13.8- and 15-inch display options, features a redesign with “modern lines” and thinner screen bezels. It can last up to 22 hours on a single charge and is up to 86% faster than the Surface Laptop 5, according to Microsoft. It also includes Wi-Fi 7 support and a haptic feedback touchpad.
For the new Surface Pro, Microsoft asserts it’s up to 90% faster than the previous generation (the Surface Pro 9) and features a new OLED HDR display, Wi-Fi 7 (with optional 5G), and an enhanced ultrawide front-facing camera. Its detachable keyboard, now reinforced with additional carbon fiber, includes haptic feedback.
Recall
The upcoming Recall feature in Windows 11 can “remember” apps and content accessed on the user’s PC weeks or even months back, helping them find, for instance, a Discord chat discussing clothing purchases. Users can use Recall’s timeline to scroll back to view recent activities and dive into files like PowerPoint presentations to extract potentially relevant information.
Microsoft adds that Recall can create associations between colors, images, and more, enabling users to search for virtually anything on their PCs in natural language. The company emphasizes that all user data related to Recall is kept private and stored on-device, and is not used to train AI models.
Here’s more from Microsoft: “Your snapshots are yours; they stay locally on your PC. You can delete individual snapshots, adjust and delete ranges of time in Settings, or pause at any point right from the icon in the System Tray on your Taskbar. You can also filter apps and websites from ever being saved.”
Image Editing and Live Translations
AI in Windows has expanded, with some features exclusive to the new Copilot+ PCs.
A new feature called Super Resolution can enhance old photos by automatically upscaling them. Additionally, Copilot can analyze images to offer creative composition suggestions. Through a feature called Cocreator, users can generate images and request the AI model to follow their drawing to modify or restyle the image.
Furthermore, Live Captions with live translations converts any audio passing through a PC — whether from YouTube or a local file — into the user’s chosen language. Initially, live translations will support about 40 languages, including English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Russian.
Windows Copilot Runtime
The Windows Copilot Runtime, comprising around 40 generative AI models, powers capabilities like Recall and Super Resolution. Microsoft describes it as “a new layer” of Windows. Together with the semantic index, a vector-based system unique to an individual Copilot+ PC, the Windows Copilot Runtime allows generative AI-powered apps — including third-party apps — to operate without necessarily requiring an internet connection.
Microsoft mentions that CapCut, the popular video editor from TikTok owner ByteDance, will utilize the Windows Copilot Runtime to enhance its AI features.
