Microsoft is speeding up work to turn Windows 11 into an operating system centered on AI agents.

The Verge reported on Oct. 9 that Microsoft unveiled plans this week at a Windows and Surface event to bring AI agents to Windows. The core concept is “hybrid intelligence.”

Through this, Microsoft will support the use of free local models running on PCs instead of cloud models.

Pavan Davuluri (파반 다불루리), head of Microsoft’s Windows unit, demonstrated GitHub Copilot for coding on a PC without cloud token costs, various AI models that can run on a PC, and agents such as OpenClaw, Hermes and Perplexity. He also strengthened integration between Windows and Copilot.

Surface Laptop Ultra will be the product leading the hybrid intelligence strategy.

Surface Laptop Ultra uses Nvidia’s RTX Spark chip and can run AI models with more than 120 billion parameters directly on a PC. Prices start at $2,599. Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI will also release similar laptops. Some RTX Spark PCs cost as much as $6,999.

Microsoft is targeting AI developers and creators. Many of them use MacBook Pro instead of Windows. In this regard, Microsoft is emphasizing that running large models on a PC can save thousands of dollars in cloud token costs.

There was not much news for general users at Microsoft’s event. A newly designed Windows search function stood out. It is assessed to be much faster than before.

The Verge said Microsoft’s strategy is still in its early stages. It said the Copilot Plus PC, released 2 years ago, also promised to change everyday AI use with a neural processing unit, but programs using the NPU amount to photo and video editing and a few workplace tools.

The Verge also pointed out that Recall, touted as a key feature, has lost its presence due to privacy concerns and launch delays.

Because AI agents often run on Linux virtual machines in the cloud, the number of desktop apps available for Linux could increase. That is why Microsoft wants to turn Windows into an environment where agents can work well.

The Verge said it sees the Linux app ecosystem potentially growing if more AI agents run on cloud Linux virtual machines. It said Microsoft’s push to make Windows more agent-friendly is not unrelated to this, adding that it is calculating to keep Windows at the center even if the computing environment expands beyond the PC.