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The Verge·

💻Microsoft Touts Windows and AI at Build, Ignoring Criticism

Windows Takes Center Stage as Microsoft Bets Big on AI

TL;DR

At this year’s Build conference, Microsoft emphasized Windows and new AI initiatives. The Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark chips were highlights, with a focus on performance and reliability in Windows 11.

Microsoft put Windows front and center at its annual Build developer conference, focusing on the Surface Laptop Ultra and Nvidia's RTX Spark chips. These devices are designed for developers and power users, promising improved performance and reliability in Windows 11. The company also unveiled Project Solara, a new platform for agent-first devices running Android, and introduced MAI-Thinking-1 along with six other AI models focused on image, voice, transcription, and coding. This shift highlights Microsoft's commitment to turning Windows around by listening to user feedback and integrating advanced AI capabilities.

Microsoft Touts Windows and AI at Build, Ignoring Criticism — The Verge

Key Points

1

Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop Ultra with a bright screen and impressive attention to detail inside, targeting developers and creators.

2

Nvidia's RTX Spark chips are capable of running a 120 billion parameter large language model locally, returning Nvidia to Windows on Arm.

3

Project Solara is Microsoft’s new platform for agent-first devices, powered by Android but expected to run on Windows too.

4

MAI-Thinking-1 and six other AI models were introduced at Build, focusing on image, voice, transcription, and coding tasks.

5

Microsoft's next-gen quantum chip cuts the timeline to useful quantum computing, a significant step forward in the field.

Why It Matters

If you're developing apps for Windows or considering new hardware for your dev setup, Microsoft’s focus on performance and AI capabilities is crucial. The Surface Laptop Ultra offers impressive specs tailored for developers, while Nvidia's RTX Spark chips bring powerful local computing to Windows devices.

Build ConferenceWindows 11AI InitiativesSurface Laptop UltraRTX Spark Chips

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

If you're developing apps for Windows or considering new hardware for your dev setup, Microsoft’s focus on performance and AI capabilities is crucial. The Surface Laptop Ultra offers impressive specs tailored for developers, while Nvidia's RTX Spark chips bring powerful local computing to Windows devices.

What happened?

At this year’s Build conference, Microsoft emphasized Windows and new AI initiatives. The Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark chips were highlights, with a focus on performance and reliability in Windows 11.

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