What you need to know
- Microsoft introduced Copilot+ PCs to the world this week.
- Copilot+ PCs support several AI features, such as Recall, Auto Super Resolution, and Advanced Windows Studio Effects.
- Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden went hands on with the new AI features and shared a video of the features in action on a Surface Laptop 7.
A new era of Windows computing is here, at least if you ask Microsoft. The tech giant announced its Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 this week. In addition to being the latest flagship pieces of hardware from Microsoft, those devices serve as examples to customers and manufacturers of what a Copilot+ PC can be.
Microsoft introduced the Copilot+ PC term this week as well. Copilot+ PCs support several AI features, run on processors optimized for AI, and meet certain minimum requirements, such as having 16GB of RAM. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung have all announced Copilot+ PCs. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden got to go hands on with the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. He also spent some extra time with the Surface Laptop 7 using the new AI features exclusive to Copilot+ PCs.
Recall is arguably the biggest feature exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. The feature takes snapshots of everything you do on your PC. You can then scroll back to or search for something you were working on in the past. While the feature has drawn questions about privacy (Recall runs locally and can be disabled), it is extremely powerful.
Cocreator is a feature in Paint that creates images with AI based on what you create within the app. Bowden showcases the feature by making an image of a house “with” Cocreator.
Windows Studio Effects may be a fan-favorite feature for Copilot+ PCs. The effects integrate directly with the camera, so you can use the AI filters and features in any app that uses a camera.
When will Copilot+ PC features ship to Windows 11?
Windows 11 version 24H2 is a unique release of Windows in that it has OS features specific to certain types of PCs. The update will be rather large for all computers that upgrade to it, but Copilot+ PCs will get all the benefits of Windows 11 24H2, including support for Recall, Windows Studio Effects, Live Captions, and Cocreator.
Windows 11 version 24H2 isn’t expected to ship until this fall, but many Copilot+ PCs will start shipping with Windows 11 version 24H2 in June.
You can already upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 as a Windows Insider, since the update recently began rolling out to the Release Preview Channel. Of course, you won’t be able to use the features exclusive to Copilot+ PCs yet since the first Copilot+ PC ships on June 18, 2024.
