Microsoft is reimagining Windows with AI-powered PCs, cloud-first devices, and multimodal experiences that could redefine how we interact with our computers.
Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Windows and Devices, and Christiaan Brinkhoff, AI product manager, discussed the future of the Windows operating system (OS) during a recent Windows in the Cloud podcast. They covered AI, Windows 365 Link, Copilot+ PCs, and multimodal interactivity.
“I think we will see computing become more ambient, more pervasive, continue to span form factors, and certainly become more multimodal in the arc of time,” Davuluri said. “We started with the notion of a desktop and a keyboard and a mouse and a monitor. We’ve gone through several revolutions, several technology paradigm shifts.”
Shaping the future of cloud computing with Windows 365 Link
The first major topic of discussion involved Windows 365 Link. According to Davuluri, Microsoft’s new product is a direct response to customers who want a simple and secure cloud device. And that’s precisely what Windows 365 Link has to offer.
Designed as a cloud-based PC that doesn’t store data locally, the device supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. It comes equipped with two USB ports (USB-A on the front and USB-C on the back), a 3.5mm audio jack, a DisplayPort, and separate ports for HDMI and Ethernet. The device also includes a Kensington lock on the side panel for physical security.
Upcoming Copilot+ PCs
Next, Davuluri and Brinkhoff discussed the upcoming line of Copilot+ PCs. With Windows 11 as the primary OS, Copilot+ PCs leverage a neural processing unit (NPU) that supports the integration of next-gen AI capabilities. Some of these new AI features include:
- Recall: An updated version to Windows’ search functionality, Recall supports any combination of contextual clues and keywords to find anything that’s even been accessed on a PC.
- Cocreator: A new feature of Microsoft Paint, Cocreator helps users create AI artwork based on text inputs or their existing designs.
- Windows Studio Effects: This is a fun app that lets users apply visual effects to the front-facing camera of their device. Some effects include a blurred background, auto-framing, adjusting lights, and more.
- Live captions: Users can create captions in real-time on any Copilot+ PC. This feature translates 40+ languages into English, and it works with live or pre-recorded content.
- Automatic Super Resolution: Automatically enhance gaming visuals and boost frame rates with Automatic Super Resolution, or Auto SR.
Whether it’s connecting to the cloud securely or the live language translation feature, these innovations let users access and interact with Windows the way they want to.
Focusing on multimodal interactions
The future of Windows revolves around multimodal interactions.
While Davuluri and Brinkhoff believe that users should have multiple options when accessing Windows, it’s important that they can do so efficiently and securely. Internal AI models like Phi and Mu are helpful here. Still, Microsoft developers are always looking for new ways to decrease device latency, strengthen day-to-day performance, and bolster accessibility for all their users.
Cybersecurity experts at Microsoft revealed during last week’s Black Hat event how they operate as a unified front to outpace malicious actors.
