"The most significant change to the Windows platform in decades"-- Microsoft announces Copilot+ PCs

At a pre-Build event today, Microsoft revealed its plans for the future of its Copilot AI feature. Copilot+ PCs, coming from Microsoft and a number of hardware partners, are described as the fastest, most advanced AI-driven Windows computers yet. In fact, Microsoft touts Copilot+ as "most significant change to the Windows platform in decades," and says the new PCs embrace AI technology in every aspect, from the ground up.

The devices, developed in partnership with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung, are equipped with new silicon capable of performing over 40 trillion operations per second. These PCs offer extended battery life and access to cutting-edge AI technologies.

The Copilot+ PCs bring a new system architecture that pairs a CPU, GPU, and a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU). This enables a level of performance never seen before, with Microsoft claiming they even outperform Apple’s MacBook Air 15”.

AI workloads run up to 20x more powerful and 100x more efficient, while delivering industry-leading AI acceleration. Additionally, the PCs offer up to 22 hours of local video playback or 15 hours of web browsing on a single charge.

With an emphasis on improved app implementation on its speedy chipset, Microsoft has expanded its native Arm64 experiences. Apps from its 365 suite -- including Teams, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive, and OneNote -- now run faster than ever. Other apps such as Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Blender, Affinity Suite, DaVinci Resolve, and Slack releasing later this year now run natively on Arm, reinforcing the trend for increased app efficiency.

Security is also at the forefront of the Copilot+. Each PC comes integrated with the Microsoft Pluton Security processor, with additional new security features, updates, and default settings for Windows 11. Microsoft also enhances user privacy controls, allowing users to manage their data better.

With a strong focus on AI capabilities, the Copilot+ PCs offer 'Recall,' a tool that organizes information based on individual experiences and associations, effectively creating a personal semantic index. Other AI-driven tools include Cocreator, enabling users to create and refine images using text prompts and ink strokes.

Pre-orders for Copilot+ PCs start today, with availability from June 18. They will be priced from $999.