Microsoft's Visionary AI Strategy: Copilot Steers the PC Future

It marks a turning point in PC development: Microsoft is taking the leap into the AI future and placing its own assistant Copilot at the center of the action. Equipped with expertise from the ChatGPT project, Copilot is set to revolutionize the Windows PC architecture. A dedicated AI chip will henceforth be the heart of the computers, which is expected to bring not only a speed-up in performance but also an increase in battery life. The innovative architecture, named 'Copilot + PC,' embodies Microsoft's conviction: From now on, the computer primarily serves as a platform for artificial intelligence, explains Chief Marketing Officer Yusuf Mehdi. A key feature of the new generation of PCs will be the 'Recall' search function. It allows users to find content via AI technology through descriptive search queries such as 'palms and sea,' based on regularly recorded screenshots. This approach, according to Microsoft's view, reflects the functioning of human memory. CEO Satya Nadella sees in this development at the product presentation a crucial breakthrough towards the long-term goal of making computers more natural and intuitive to use. While the practicality of 'Recall' has yet to be proven, Microsoft's developers are already enjoying the benefits of the function and see it as a simplification of digital everyday life. There are limitations in terms of storage volume and data protection concerns; therefore, the data is temporarily held locally and the scope of the function will be expanded over time. The hardware surprise: the first AI PCs are relying on Arm technology instead of Intel processors. A comparison with the speed and battery life of Apple devices shows that Microsoft's new development is competitive. Although the software giant has opted for Qualcomm chips, Intel remains in the race – diversity is essential according to Mehdi. Despite longstanding challenges, it seems that, inspired by Apple, Microsoft has recognized the potential of Arm-based PCs and has adapted Windows accordingly. Expecting that major PC manufacturers will jump on board, Microsoft also presented new models of its Surface series. However, Microsoft's influence on data access in AI technology remains predominantly limited to PCs, as mobile device platforms are primarily dominated by Google and Apple. Yet with the Copilot app, Microsoft is also present there, albeit with currently more limited functions.