Microsoft drops the Copilot Plus PC brand for new Surface devices

Microsoft is no longer using the Copilot Plus PC label for its latest Surface devices, even though they meet the brand’s system requirements, according to a report by Windows Central.

The new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop are not being called Copilot Plus PCs. Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrom told Windows Central that the devices “are not called Copilot Plus PCs.” Qualcomm SVP of compute and gaming Kedar Kondap said computers offering the same experiences will “probably” stop using the branding.

The shift comes two and a half years after Microsoft promoted Copilot Plus PCs as machines with enough built-in AI hardware to run certain features. The Verge notes that basic AI hardware is becoming common across PCs, while Microsoft’s Recall feature received a poor reception. Microsoft also faced criticism for repeated AI promotions in Windows and for the dedicated Copilot keyboard key, which users can now remap.

Microsoft is also preparing to put Nvidia chips in its flagship hardware. The Verge says that move is expected to begin a new era of personal AI in Windows, though it does not specify when those devices will arrive.

Microsoft is scheduled to host a “conversation on how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC” on October 7th. The Verge’s Sean Hollister speculates that Microsoft may introduce a new brand at the event, but the source does not confirm that.