Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a new class of Nvidia-powered Windows laptops and described a broader strategy to support AI workloads running on devices as well as in the cloud.
Why this matters
The company aims to create a high-end laptop category for users who want to run demanding AI tasks locally rather than relying solely on cloud processing. Microsoft frames this as a hybrid intelligence approach that combines frontier cloud models with local models when appropriate.
Hardware: Surface Ultra
At an event in San Francisco attended by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and former White House AI official Sriram Krishnan, Microsoft officially launched the Microsoft Surface Ultra. The high-end laptop is powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark chip and has a starting price of $2,599.
Jensen Huang said at the event, “We have reinvented the computer as we know it.” Microsoft had previewed the laptop in June but did not then disclose price or exact availability.
Microsoft also said that other manufacturers, including Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, will ship Nvidia-powered devices. Those devices, together with the Surface Ultra, will be available beginning Oct. 16.
Software and on-device AI
On the software side, Microsoft introduced a version of Copilot that can operate using local models alongside cloud models. The company argues this hybrid model can better match developers’ demand for intelligence with organizational AI budgets by offloading some work to local models where effective.
Microsoft additionally announced that Meta’s Muse personal agent will come to Windows.
Security and guardrails
Before discussing hardware, Microsoft spent substantial time explaining how it is making Windows more secure: ensuring that agent actions are separated from human actions and kept within preset limits.
Context and challenges
Microsoft’s initial push into AI-powered Windows machines, marketed as Copilot+ PCs, had a rocky start after the delay of Recall, its signature feature. The company’s pitch for on-device AI emphasizes a hybrid approach because, as Microsoft executive vice president Pavan Davuluri put it, “Hybrid intelligence exists because people's appetite for intelligence is effectively unlimited.”
Summary
The Surface Ultra and Microsoft’s on-device AI strategy signal the company’s effort to bring Windows closer to mainstream AI use by supporting both local and cloud models and by emphasizing security and operational limits. The new devices and software features will be available starting Oct. 16.
