Building The Future
The recent Microsoft Build conference in Seattle has been a game-changer, especially with their focus on AI. On the first day, Microsoft introduced some of their latest innovations in AI-first computing. One of the biggest highlights was the unveiling of their new Copilot +PCs. These computers are designed with a CPU, GPU, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to handle AI inference directly on the device. This means you can run AI programs smoothly while still playing games or performing other tasks, all without the need for cloud processing. It cuts down on the annoying delays you usually get when everything has to be sent back and forth to the cloud.
They’ve really enhanced the Copilot experience, too. The new Copilot app is no longer restricted to the sidebar; you can move it anywhere on your screen, making it much more flexible and user-friendly. You can have real-time voice conversations with it, similar to ChatGPT, but integrated right into Windows. It was fascinating to see a demo where someone new to Minecraft used Copilot to guide them through the game, offering real-time suggestions based on what was happening on screen.
Another standout feature is the recall capability on Windows 11 PCs. Imagine your computer having a photographic memory, remembering everything you’ve done, from browsing history to activities in various Microsoft apps. You can search for anything you’ve looked at or worked on recently. If you’re worried about privacy, Microsoft has you covered. You can turn off these features, manage what’s remembered, and even delete specific memories to ensure your privacy.
Microsoft also showcased their new Surface PCs, which come with some pretty cool AI enhancements. For example, you can start drawing something in Microsoft Paint, and AI will turn your sketch into a polished image in real-time, in the style you choose. During their keynote, they compared these new Surface laptops to the Mac M3 series, and the performance of the Surface laptops with NPUs was significantly better in tasks like photo editing and AI-assisted video editing.
One of the most impressive demos was the real-time transcription and translation feature. This breaks down language barriers during conversations on platforms like Microsoft Teams. Imagine talking to someone in Japanese and seeing real-time English subtitles on your screen. It’s going to make global communication so much easier.
Throughout the event, Microsoft emphasized privacy and security. All the AI processing happens locally on your device, which means there’s no need to worry about your data being sent to the cloud. They assured us that they don’t train on user data and provide options to manage what’s remembered.
Overall, the advancements Microsoft is bringing to AI and their integration into Windows are set to revolutionize how we interact with our devices.
