Microsoft Unveils Generative AI-Fueled Copilot+ PCs
Microsoft announced the launch of its new Copilot+ PCs at an event on Monday. The new computers are designed to leverage advanced generative AI models thanks to new powerful processors capable of performing over 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). These PCs will include the Copilot key on the keyboard to activate Microsoft’s generative AI assistant, as unveiled by the company earlier this year.
Copilot+ PC
The Copilot+ PCs employ a new system architecture that integrates the CPU, GPU, and a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU). This design allows the PCs to run AI models up to 20 times more potent than earlier models, with 100 times the efficiency as much as 58% better performance than the Apple MacBook Air 15”, according to Microsoft. The PCs include both large language models (LLMs) in the Azure Cloud and small language models (SLMs) running locally. Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI assistant is baked into the system. The virtual is already available on devices running Windows 11, but the new computers offer access through the Copilot key on keyboards.
“This first wave of Copilot+ PCs is just the beginning. Over the past year, we have seen an incredible pace of innovation of AI in the cloud with Copilot allowing us to do things that we never dreamed possible. Now, we begin a new chapter with AI innovation on the device. We have completely reimagined the entirety of the PC – from silicon to the operating system, the application layer to the cloud – with AI at the center, marking the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades,” Microsoft consumer CMO Yusuf Mehdi said. “Copilot will now have the full application experience customers have been asking for in a streamlined, simple yet powerful and personal design. Copilot puts the most advanced AI models at your fingertips. In the coming weeks, get access to the latest models including GPT-4o from our partners at OpenAI, so you can have voice conversations that feel more natural.”
The inclusion of most of the latest commercially available models is likely going to be a big selling point. The fact that it extends to voice control does evoke Microsoft’s decommissioned Cortana voice assistant, however. Even though the company never mentions the defunct product. Windows has been incorporating Copilot features for months now. The generative AI tool is multimodal and has a search function already embedded in the taskbar.
Copilot+ PCs also come with several other generative AI-driven features aimed at improving productivity and creativity. For instance, Recall addresses the common problem of locating previously viewed content. Recall organizes information based on user-specific relationships and associations, enabling quick and intuitive access to files, websites, and emails. There’s also the Cocreator tool for image creation and editing. Users can generate and refine images in near real-time using natural language prompts and ink strokes. For photos, the new Restyle Image tool allows users to reimagine their photos with new styles, while the Live Captions feature now includes live translations, converting any audio into English-language captions in real time. This function supports over 40 languages. Microsoft has begun pre-sales of the Copilot+ PCs, which start at $1,000. The computers become available on June 18.
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