Microsoft stops using Copilot+ PC branding on new Surface devices
Microsoft has stopped using the Copilot+ PC branding on its new Surface devices, even though the computers meet the category’s previous requirements, according to Brett Ostrum, corporate vice president of Surface, in a conversation with Windows Central. The 12-inch Surface Pro (2nd Edition) and 13-inch Surface Laptop (2nd Edition) use Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus processors and an 80-TOPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU; they are due out on October 13. The category requires 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and an NPU rated at at least 40 TOPS, Ars Technica reports.
The category, created to identify PCs capable of running AI tasks locally, still officially exists and also includes Intel and AMD chips, Tecnoblog reports. Kedar Kondap, Qualcomm’s senior vice president of compute, told Windows Central that the same experiences will probably be offered without the Copilot+ PC terminology; Tecnoblog suggests other brands may follow that path.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The decision could weaken the value of the Copilot+ PC label as a reference for consumers, even though the category officially remains and the new Surface devices still meet its previous requirements. If other brands follow the same path, as Tecnoblog suggests, communication about local AI features in PCs could become less clear.
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