Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled a new category of personal computers equipped with advanced AI features, dubbed “Copilot+ PCs.” Announced by CEO Satya Nadella at an event on Microsoft’s Redmond campus, these new devices are designed to perform AI tasks directly on the computer, minimising reliance on cloud data centres.
Set to begin shipping on 18 June with prices starting at USD 1,000, the Copilot+ PCs will be available from manufacturers including Acer and Asustek Computer.
A key feature of these new AI-powered computers is “Recall,” which allows users to track and search their activity history on the device, from web browsing to voice chats. This functionality aims to enhance user productivity by enabling easy retrieval of past activities. Additionally, Microsoft demonstrated the Copilot voice assistant acting as a real-time virtual coach in the popular video game “Minecraft.”
Yusuf Mehdi, head of consumer marketing at Microsoft, predicted robust sales for the new AI PCs, estimating that 50 million units will be sold over the next year. This projection suggests that Copilot+ devices could comprise about 20 per cent of the global PC market, which saw shipments drop to 242 million units last year.
The new devices will soon feature GPT-4, the latest AI technology from OpenAI, enhancing their capabilities even further.
In addition to the Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft introduced new versions of its Surface Pro tablet and Surface Laptop, now incorporating Qualcomm chips based on Arm Holdings’ architecture. The company also unveiled “Prism,” a technology that allows software designed for Intel and AMD chips to run on Arm-based devices.
During the event, Microsoft also showcased the superior performance of its new devices by running Adobe photo editing software faster on a Microsoft device compared to an Apple device. This demonstration is part of Microsoft’s strategy to capitalise on its early partnership with OpenAI and gain a competitive edge over rivals like Alphabet and Apple in the AI arena.
