Microsoft announced it will host a special AI event on May 20th. This precedes the tech giant’s Build 2024 developer conference by one day. At the event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will reportedly share details about the company’s “AI vision across hardware and software.”
Notably, Microsoft has stated it won’t live stream the special May 20th event. Instead, it will be exclusive to invited journalists. It seems Microsoft aims to unveil upcoming AI features for Windows and Surface devices.
While the March 21st event focuses on business, the special May event may spotlight consumer-centric Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. Rumors suggest these laptops will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips with dedicated neural processing units. These boost AI-powered tasks on Windows 11.
On the software front, Microsoft appears poised to introduce several new AI-driven features. The most anticipated is “AI Explorer,” which could leverage generative AI. This allows Windows 11 users to search past actions, akin to the now-defunct Timeline feature.
Furthermore, the tech giant recently declared 2024 as “the year of the AI PC.” While hardware partners like Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm embrace AI PCs, Microsoft has yet to reveal how Windows will harness recent hardware advancements. Additionally, Microsoft may share updates on its AI initiatives like Copilot. The tech giant previously stated it would provide more details.
The special event aligns with Microsoft’s increased AI focus following ChatGPT’s success. Analysts anticipate AI integration across Microsoft’s ecosystem for improved security, intelligent automation, and optimized capabilities.
“Microsoft could leapfrog competitors by truly blending AI into Windows and Surface hardware,” remarks analyst Patrick Moorhead. Moreover, potential AI co-processors in future Surface devices could accelerate AI workloads. This mirrors Apple’s Neural Engine approach. As AI transforms consumer and enterprise spheres, Microsoft’s showcase underscores ambitions beyond ChatGPT’s success. It signals AI’s frontier in ubiquitous platforms like Windows and Surface hardware.
Last Surface Event
The last major Surface event was in September 2023. Microsoft unveiled devices like Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Go 4. This May event promises exciting AI-powered upgrades.
