Surface events, Windows 11, and AI

If you didn’t know by now, nearly every tech company is eager to pray at the altar of artificial intelligence, for better or for worse. Google’s recent I/O developer conference was dominated by artificial intelligence capabilities, such as its seemingly lifelike Project Astra assistant. Just before this, OpenAI launched GPT 4o, a free conversational AI model that is disturbingly sexy. Next up is Microsoft Build 2024, the company’s developer conference kicking off next week in Seattle.

Typically, Build is a fairly straightforward celebration of Microsoft’s dedication to productivity, with some on-stage coding to get developers excited. But this year, the company is gearing up for some larger AI initiatives after first launching Bing Chat powered by ChatGPT in early 2023. the most important activity.

But before Build, Microsoft will host a showcase of the new Surface and AI in Windows 11 on May 20. Event two, and as rumor has it, we’ll see some of the first systems powered by Qualcomm’s Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite chips as well as new features in the next major Windows 11 update.

That’s not to say all is rosy for the Windows maker. Build 2024 is the critical moment when we will see whether AI can achieve Microsoft. Will the billions in funding from OpenAI and Copilot actually bring useful tools to consumers? Or is the push for artificial intelligence, and the idea of ​​purported “general artificial intelligence”, inherently reckless because it makes computers more opaque and potentially untrustworthy? (How exactly do generative AI models arrive at their answers? It’s not always clear.)

Here are some of the things we expect to see in Build 2024:

New Surface hardware

While Microsoft did roll out updates to its Surface line earlier this spring, those machines were geared more toward enterprise customers and therefore weren’t available at regular retail stores. A Microsoft spokesperson told us at the time that it “absolutely reserves”[s] dedicated to consumer devices” and the business-focused announcement is “just the first part of that effort.”

Instead, the company’s upcoming consumer PC refresh is expected to include new 13-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop 6 models with thinner bezels, larger trackpads, improved port selection, and the aforementioned X Elite chip. At the May 20 presentation, we will most likely also see an Arm-based version of the Surface Pro 10, which will have a similar design to the business model launched in March, but with improved accessories , including a dedicated co-pilot key on the Type cover.

according to edgeMicrosoft is confident these new systems can surpass Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air in terms of raw speed and artificial intelligence performance.

The company has also reportedly revamped emulation for x86 software in its Arm-based version of Windows 11. That’s a good thing, since poor emulation was one of the main reasons we hated the Surface Pro 9 5G, a confounding system powered by Microsoft’s SQ3 Arm Chip. This mobile processor was based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, which at the time had not yet been proven in laptops. Using the Surface Pro 9 5G is extremely frustrating, and we’re really pissed that Microsoft is selling it as a “Pro” device. So you can bet we’re skeptical about whether another batch of Qualcomm Arm chips will deliver a staggering performance boost.

It’ll also be interesting to see if Microsoft’s new consumer devices look any different from their enterprise counterparts, which are basically just die swaps inside the casings of the Surface Pro 9 and Laptop 5. There’s room for a complete rethinking of the design of the consumer Surface, much like how Apple reshaped its entire laptop line around its M-series chips.

Artificial Intelligence Explorer

Aside from updated hardware, one of the biggest upgrades on these new Surfaces should be the vastly improved artificial intelligence and machine learning performance on the device thanks to the Snapdragon X Elite chip, which can deliver up to 45 TOPS from its processor (Trillions of operations per second). This is critical because Microsoft has previously stated that a PC needs at least 40 TOPs to run Windows AI features natively. This brings us to some new features in the next major version of Microsoft’s operating system, including something the company calls AI Explorer, expanded Studio effects, and more.

According to Windows Central, AI Explorer will become a catch-all term for Microsoft that covers a range of machine learning-based features. This is expected to include an improved search tool that will allow users to use natural language input to find everything from websites to files. There may also be a new timeline that allows people to scroll back through anything they’ve been doing recently on their computer, adding contextual suggestions based on what they’re currently looking at. Building on some of the Copilot features we’ve seen before, Microsoft appears to be planning to add support for tools like live captions, expanded Studio effects (including live filters), and natively generated AI tools that can help create photos and more live .

A smarter, more local co-pilot

Microsoft wants to have an artificial intelligence co-pilot in everything. The company first launched Github Copilot in 2021 as a way for programmers to use artificial intelligence to handle daily coding tasks. Currently, all of the company’s other artificial intelligence tools have also been renamed “Microsoft Copilot” (including Bing Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot for productivity applications). Through Copilot Pro, launched earlier this year for $20 per month, the company can access OpenAI’s latest GPT models and other advanced features.

But all of Microsoft’s Copilot tools still have one drawback: they require an Internet connection. In reality, very little work happens locally on your device. However, that may soon change, as Intel confirmed that Microsoft is already looking into localizing Copilot. This means it can answer simpler questions faster, such as basic math or queries about files on your system, without the need for an internet connection. As impressive as Microsoft’s AI assistant is, it still often takes a few seconds to process your question.

More from Microsoft at Build 2024

With all new hardware and software releases, Build is designed to help developers lay the groundwork to better support these new AI and expanded Copilot capabilities. Microsoft has already teased things like Copilot on Edge and Copilot Plugins for 365 apps, so we’re looking forward to hearing more about how they’ll work. By looking at some of the meetings that have been scheduled for Build, we can see that all meetings related to AI have received great attention, including breakthroughs in customizing Microsoft Copilot, Copilot in Teams, Copilot extensions, etc.

Anything else that needs attention?

While Microsoft is certainly getting a lot of attention, it’s worth mentioning that it’s not the only manufacturer launching a new class of AI-powered computers. That’s because, in addition to the improved Surface, we expect to see a slew of other laptops from major vendors like Dell and Lenovo equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips (or possibly X Plus).

Granted, following Google’s heavy focus on artificial intelligence at I/O 2024, the last thing people might want to hear is more artificial intelligence. But now, like most of its competitors, Microsoft is betting big on machine learning to grow and expand the capabilities of Windows PCs.

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