Microsoft has announced a "digital event" later this month to announce new Surface hardware, Windows 11 features, and developments with its Copilot AI.
The "new era of work" digital-only event kicks off at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST on March 21, according to a brief event page Microsoft posted this morning. The company promised to unveil "the latest in scaling AI in your environment with Copilot, Windows and Surface."
Microsoft hasn't shared any details about what exactly will be announced, but given that we didn't get a Surface Pro 10 announcement last year, it's among the most likely candidates to be announced. Windows Central previously reported Microsoft will unveil the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 in the spring of 2024.
Both machines will reportedly receive minor spec bumps, with the Surface Pro 10 upgrading to a brighter, anti-reflective OLED display and featuring a new ultrawide front-facing webcam enhanced with AI Studio Effects and a built-in NFC reader, according to sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans. The Surface Laptop 6 is rumored to get a redesign as well that includes thinner bezels, more rounded corners, a haptic touchpad, two USB-C ports and a USB-A port.
Beyond just a simple hardware refresh, however, Microsoft is tipped to market these systems as its first AI PCs. The new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop will be some of Microsoft's first devices capable of supporting built-in Copilot functionality and other special AI features headed to Windows 11 later this year, Windows Central reports. The new hardware will purportedly be the first to pack new Intel Core Ultra or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors, both of which have neural processing units (NPUs) for enhanced AI performance.
Microsoft is also working on a new AI-focused experience for Windows 11 known internationally as "AI Explorer," the outlet reports. According to sources familiar with Microsoft's plans, it's a sort of "advanced Copilot" that can catalog everything you do on your PC so you can search for moments in a timeline using natural language. It purportedly works across apps, documents, web pages, conversations, and images, effectively turning your PC experience into an easily searchable history.
Of course, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt for now. We'll have to wait until March 21 to learn more about what Microsoft has in store for us.
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