If you can’t tell by now, almost every tech company is eager to pray at the altar of AI, for better or worse. Google’s latest I/O developer conference Project Astra was dominated by AI features that appeared as an assistant. Just before that, OpenAI GPT 4o debuted, a free and chatty AI model that is disturbingly flirtatious. Next up is Microsoft Build 2024, the company’s developer conference starting next week in Seattle.
Normally, Build is a fairly simple celebration of Microsoft’s commitment to productivity, with coding on stage to excite the developer crowd. But this year, the company is poised to make bigger AI moves after debuting Bing Chat powered by ChatGPT in early 2023. Take that together with rumors of new Surface hardware, and Build 2024 could potentially be one of those apps. The most important events Microsoft has ever held.
But so is Microsoft before Setup It’s a showcase for the new Surfaces and AI in Windows 11 on May 20. to build It starts a day later on May 21. For the average Joe, the Surface event will be the more impressive of the two, as we’re rumored to see some of Qualcomm’s first Arm-based systems. Snapdragon X Elite chip, along with new features coming in the next major Windows 11 update.
That’s not to say all is rosy for the Windows maker. Build 2024 is the point where we will see if AI will make Microsoft. Will the billions allocated to the OpenAI and Copilot projects really pay off with useful tools for consumers? Or is artificial intelligence and the fabled idea of ”artificial general intelligence” making computers more opaque and unreliable? (How exactly do generative AI models find their answers? It’s not always clear.)
Here are a few things we expect to see at Build 2024:
New Surface hardware
As Microsoft pushes updates to the Surface family earlier this spring, these machines were intended more for enterprise customers, so they cannot be purchased in regular retail stores. A Microsoft spokesperson told us at the time that it “definitely remains[s] committed to consumer devices,” and said the commercial-focused announcement is “just the first part of that effort.”
Instead, the company’s upcoming update to its consumer PC lineup is expected to include new 13- and 15-inch Surface Laptop 6 models with slimmer bezels, larger trackpads, improved port selection, and the aforementioned X Elite chip. At the May 20 showcase, we’ll also see an Arm-based version of the Surface Pro 10, which will sport a similar design to the business model released in March, but with updated accessories, including the Tip. Cover with a special Copilot switch.
according to The VergeMicrosoft is confident that these new systems can beat Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air in raw speed and AI performance.
The company has also updated the x86 software emulation in the Arm-based version of Windows 11. Surface Pro 9 5G, a confusing system powered by Microsoft’s SQ3 Arm chip. That mobile processor was based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, which was unproven in laptops at the time. The Surface Pro 9 5G was so frustrating to use that it really hurt us that Microsoft marketed it as a “Pro” device. So you can be sure that we’re skeptical of any amazing performance gains from another batch of Qualcomm Arm chips.
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft’s new consumer devices differ from their enterprise counterparts. It was basically a chip swap inside the Surface Pro 9 and Laptop 5 cases. If Microsoft is really betting on mobile chips. Consumer Surfaces have room to completely rethink their designs, similar to how Apple has reshaped its entire laptop lineup around its M-series chips.
AI Explorer
Aside from the updated hardware, one of the biggest improvements in these new Surfaces should be the significantly improved AI and machine learning performance on the device. Snapdragon X Elite chip, can deliver up to 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second) from a neural processing unit (NPU). This is the main reason Microsoft has said before PCs need at least 40 TOP to run Windows AI features natively. That brings us to some of the additions coming in Microsoft’s next major build of the OS, including something the company calls AI Explorer, expanded Studio effects, and more.
according to Windows Center, AI Explorer will be Microsoft’s catch-all term covering a number of machine learning-based features. It is expected to include an updated search tool that allows users to search for everything from websites to files using natural language input. There may also be a new timeline that will allow people to rewind everything they’ve done recently on their computer and add contextual suggestions that appear based on what they’re currently viewing. And building on some of the Copilot features we’ve seen before, it looks like Microsoft plans to add support for tools like live captions, expanded Studio effects (including real-time filters), and native generative AI tools that can help create photos. more on the spot.
Smarter and more local Copilots
Microsoft wants AI Copilot in everything. The company started its activities for the first time Github Copilot As a way to enable programmers in 2021 to use artificial intelligence to tackle mundane coding tasks. At this point, all of the company’s other AI tools were also rebranded as “Microsoft Copilot” (which included Bing Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot for productivity apps). With Copilot Pro, a $20 monthly offering launched earlier this year, the company provides access to the latest GPT models from OpenAI, along with other premium features.
But all of Microsoft’s Kopilot tools have one downside: They require an internet connection. Very little is done locally on your device. That may change soon Intel confirmed Microsoft is already working on ways to make Copilot native. This means it can answer simpler questions, such as simple math or queries about files on your system, without going online at all. As impressive as Microsoft’s AI assistant is, it usually takes a few seconds to answer your questions.
More from Microsoft at Build 2024
With all the new hardware and software announced, the Build is positioned to help developers build more of a foundation to better support these new AI and expanded Copilot features. Microsoft has already teased things like Copilot on Edge and Copilot Plugins for Apps 365, so expect to hear more about how those will work. And with a look at some sessions are already scheduled for Buildwe can see a big focus on everything related to AI, with breaks to customize Microsoft Copilot, Copilot in Teams, Copilot Extensions and more.
What else to pay attention to?
While Microsoft is certainly getting a lot of attention, it’s important to note that it won’t be the only manufacturer coming out with new AI computers. That’s because, along with the updated Surfaces, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite Chip (or maybe X Plus) from other major vendors such as Dell, Lenovo and more.
Admittedly, after close attention Google introduced artificial intelligence at I/O 2024, the last thing people want to hear is more AI. But at this point, like most of its competitors, Microsoft is betting big on machine learning to improve and expand the capabilities of Windows PCs.
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