Microsoft appears to have encountered some difficulty in bringing AI functionality to Intel and AMD Copilot+ PCs. At the recent Ignite 2024 conference, it was announced that AI support for AMD and Intel systems is still in development. Previously, Microsoft promised to deploy AI functions on these systems in November, but apparently did not have time to prepare. However, the wait will not be long, Microsoft assured.
Image source: Microsoft
Copilot+ PCs feature support for local processing of AI tasks. The first devices in this category were laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors, presented at the Microsoft Build conference in May 2024. This processor was the first in its class to receive a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with a performance of 40 TOPS. Copilot+ PCs support AI features such as Cocreator in Paint and Live Captions, which demonstrate the potential of using AI directly on the PC.
Microsoft is preparing support for AI functions for Copilot+ PC systems with AMD Ryzen AI HX (known as Strix Point) processors with 55 TOPS performance and Intel Core Ultra (codenamed Lunar Lake) with 45 TOPS performance. These processors are designed to expand the capabilities of the Copilot+ PC, providing new perspectives for local data processing. But for now, the company continues to test the compatibility of Copilot features to ensure they work consistently on new architectures.
The Recall AI function has become one of the most discussed innovations. It allows users to find files, applications, web pages or images by describing their contents in natural language. This technology is already being tested on devices with Snapdragon processors as part of the Windows Insider program. However, its implementation on devices with AMD and Intel processors is still delayed. To protect privacy, Microsoft uses encrypted snapshots of users’ screen activity, which can only be accessed through Windows Hello authentication, including face, fingerprint, or PIN authentication.
The AI Recall function is further strengthened by internal security measures. It automatically recognizes and excludes sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers from being saved. Users can manually delete screenshots they don’t want to save or exclude certain apps and sites from being monitored by this feature. In addition, Microsoft has added a special Recall icon that notifies users about the analysis process and allows them to pause it or view the current status.
At Ignite 2024, Microsoft also announced Windows Search updates for Copilot+ PC devices. The new version of search allows you to find not only exact text matches, but also related concepts, as well as image searches. These features will be tested in the Windows Insider Program for devices with Snapdragon processors in early 2025, after which they will be available for other platforms. Microsoft 365 Copilot customers will also have federated semantic search capabilities that span local files and data in OneDrive.
Click to Do’s AI feature gives users tools to complete tasks based on screen content. With its help, you can highlight text and get recommendations for retelling, editing, or compiling a list of related materials. This feature is integrated with tools like Snipping Tool for ease of use. All data processing is performed locally, which eliminates the risk of information leakage to the cloud and guarantees a high level of confidentiality.
Copilot+ PC includes additional features such as Teams Super Resolution, which improves the quality of video calls even with a weak Internet connection, and Narrator, which makes working with text materials easier. These capabilities are integrated through the Copilot Runtime API, allowing organizations and third-party developers to embed them into their own applications. In addition, the devices support Live Captions, which translate videos from more than 40 languages into English.
One of the key innovations presented at Ignite was the Windows Resiliency Initiative. Its goal is to increase system reliability and minimize the consequences of failures. One of the features offered as part of this initiative was Quick Machine Recovery. It allows administrators to fix bugs through Windows Update even on devices that won’t boot. This feature was developed following the Crowdstrike update failure in July 2024, which severely impacted enterprise PCs.