Microsoft quietly retires the 'Copilot Plus PC' brand
Microsoft is stepping away from the 'Copilot Plus PC' label it introduced about two and a half years ago for AI-capable computers. New Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models meet the technical requirements but are no longer marketed under that name.
Microsoft appears to be abandoning the 'Copilot Plus PC' branding it launched roughly two and a half years ago to designate computers with sufficient built-in AI processing power. According to a Windows Central report, the new 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop technically meet the system requirements to qualify as Copilot Plus PCs, but the company is no longer using that label for them. Microsoft Surface vice president Brett Ostrom confirmed to the outlet that these devices are not being called Copilot Plus PCs.
Qualcomm's senior vice president of compute and gaming, Kedar Kondap, echoed the sentiment, saying that computers offering the same capabilities will likely no longer carry that branding going forward.
Why the brand faded
As early as 2024, industry observers pointed out that nearly all new PCs would soon include the baseline AI hardware the brand was meant to signal, undercutting its distinctiveness. The brand's headline feature, Recall, was also poorly received by users, and Microsoft drew criticism for repeatedly pushing AI-related upsells on Windows users — including a dedicated Copilot key on keyboards that can now finally be remapped to other functions.
Meanwhile, Microsoft's upcoming flagship hardware is set to shift to Nvidia chips, which is expected to usher in a new phase of local AI on Windows. On October 7th, Microsoft is hosting an event focused on how local AI will shape the next generation of PCs — an occasion that may introduce a fresh brand to replace 'Copilot Plus PC.'
