Microsoft is introducing a new line of computers equipped with advanced chips designed to seamlessly run artificial intelligence (AI) features within Windows software, while offering extended battery life. The tech giant announced the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro tablet, powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors, which are optimized for on-device AI processing without an internet connection.
In addition to Microsoft’s own Surface devices, other computer manufacturers, including Lenovo, Dell, HP, Asus, Acer, and Samsung, are also launching AI-ready PCs equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. These devices will run Microsoft’s Copilot AI chatbot and provide enhanced productivity features enabled by AI technology.
Microsoft also announced that PCs with AMD and Intel chips, adhering to the Copilot+ standard, will be released at a later time. These Copilot+ PCs will offer a range of AI-powered capabilities, such as audio translation, intelligent message response suggestions, personalized settings recommendations, and even conversational interactions about on-screen content.
One of the key features of these AI-powered PCs is the Recall function, which allows users to search through a log of previous actions on their devices. Notably, Recall relies on AI models that run directly on the device, ensuring that data never leaves the local system and enabling offline functionality.
Microsoft is betting on Qualcomm’s energy-efficient Arm-based chips to handle AI models efficiently, aiming to defend its Windows franchise against competition from Apple’s Arm-based MacBooks. By leveraging on-device AI processing, Microsoft hopes to provide a compelling alternative to traditional Intel-based PCs, offering extended battery life and enhanced productivity features.
The launch of AI-powered PCs is part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to integrate ChatGPT-like capabilities across its product lineup. Following the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft has been actively incorporating generative AI into its offerings, including Bing search, Windows operating systems, and Office productivity software.
With the new AI-powered PCs, Microsoft aims to bring the power of generative AI directly to users’ devices, enabling seamless integration of AI capabilities into their daily computing experiences. The company believes that this move will not only enhance productivity but also pave the way for a new era of intelligent and efficient computing.
