Microsoft stops insisting you need a "Copilot+ PC"

Microsoft appears to be stepping back from the “Copilot+ PC” branding, even as it keeps similar hardware requirements in place. Since 2024, the term was used to identify Windows systems approved for running AI workloads locally. In new Surface announcements, the company’s own Surface leadership told Windows Central that the new devices “are not called Copilot+ PCs” despite meeting the previous bar. Those requirements include 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a neural processing unit (NPU) rated at 40 TOPS or higher. Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Pro 12-inch (2nd Edition) and Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) launch Oct. 13 with Snapdragon X2 Plus chips and an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU. The article also points to Copilot+ branding being linked to security concerns tied to Recall and to slowing interest in AI PCs.