The big picture: Artificial Intelligence has quickly become the buzzword in technology over the past couple of years, and most consumer tech companies are now falling over each other to add some sort of AI features to their products. Microsoft has already added AI to Windows 11 in the form of Copilot, and is now said to be all set to introduce the world's first "true" AI PCs.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft's upcoming Surface devices will ship with a myriad of AI features, and will be marketed as the company's first true next-gen AI PCs. The lineup will reportedly include the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, both of which will ship with next-gen NPUs (neural processing units) and offer a choice of Intel's 14th-gen Core processors and Qualcomm's X-series SoCs.
Codenamed 'CADMUS,' the Arm-powered Surface devices are reportedly being custom-designed for the next edition of Windows, which is expected to ship next year. They are also said to incorporate many of the next-gen AI features that will be part of the next version of Windows. One interesting feature noted in the report is a dedicated Copilot button that could be found on the keyboard deck on the Surface Laptop 6 and on the new Type Cover accessory for the Surface Pro 10.
Microsoft expects the CADMUS lineup to compete on even terms with Apple Silicon MacBooks, offering similar battery life, performance, and security. Two of the first CADMUS PCs will be the next-gen Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, which could be announced a few months before the next version of Windows (codenamed Hudson Valley) is released to the public.
Alongside the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, Microsoft is also said to be working on the next-gen Surface Laptop Go, which could also debut next year. Then there's the next-gen Surface Laptop Studio, which could be launched in 2025. In addition, commercial-only versions of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are also said to be in the works, but it's not immediately clear if those will ever see the light of day.