Windows 11 “Rebuilt” for Copilot+ AI PCs, Gets Prism Emulator for Arm

Just a day before its annual Build developer conference kicks off, Microsoft has announced new Surface hardware and outlined its AI PC strategy, which will usher in a new age of Arm-based processors powering laptops alongside traditional X86 CPUs from Intel and AMD. The move comes as Qualcomm announces that laptops based on its Arm-based Snapdragon X series processors will go on sale in the USA starting from June 18, with preorders now open.

The new Copilot+ specification currently requires a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus processor with an integrated NPU, or neural processing unit. Qualcomm claims to offer the world’s most powerful NPU, capable of 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second) as well as class-leading power efficiency and high performance in traditional CPU-bound workloads. Microsoft says this is a reimagining of the entire concept of a PC around AI tasks and applications. Intel and AMD-based Copilot+ laptops are expected soon, including options with discrete graphics that will target the gamer and creator markets.

Copilot+ PCs will run AI operations on-device as well as in the cloud. Microsoft touts the availability of leading productivity apps that can run natively on Arm-based hardware, including its own Office suite, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Google Chrome, Zoom, Spotify, Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and more coming soon. A new X86 emulator called Prism will handle translation for non-native software. 

Microsoft promises to unlock new AI experiences for users. Using its own SLMs (smalll language models) running on-device, the latency and security issues associated with cloud-based AI are negated. The biggest selling point will be Recall, a new timeline-like feature that will allow users to find content that they know is on their PC, but not necessarily where. Using contextual associations, Windows 11’s Recall feature will generate a “personal semantic index” of applications, websites, emails, documents, and conversations in supported apps such as Outlook and Teams. Users will be able to scroll through a historical record of what they have done, and Windows will even suggest future actions. Users can decide whether to exclude certain websites, apps, and files, or even pause the Recall feature for privacy.

Moreover, Windows 11 will use AI within apps such as Photos and Paint. Users will be able to come up with AI-generated images using natural language prompts and sketches. Photos can also be edited and upscaled, or given new styles. Text captions can be generated live from any live or pre-recorded audio, and can be translated from over 40 languages into English, even when offline. The Copilot assistant will also be available throughout the Windows UI.

Microsoft also unveiled new Copilot+ versions of its own Surface Laptop, in 13.8-inch and 15-inch versions, promising up to 22 hours of local video playback, as well as the 2-in-1 Surface Pro with an optional OLED HDR display and a new optional detachable wireless keyboard. Other brands including Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Dell and Samsung will also be offering Copilot+ laptops based on Snapdragon X CPUs. Prices start at $999 (approximately Rs. 83,170 before taxes).