Report: Microsoft’s 2024 Windows Roadmap Includes Advanced Copilot And “Groundbreaking” AI Features

Microsoft is reportedly changing its Windows roadmap following an internal reorg that saw the departure of Panos Panay in September. Earlier this year, the same Panay said that “AI is going to reinvent how you do everything on Windows,” and the next Windows release coming in 2024 may really deliver on that front.

According to a new report from Windows Central’s Zac Bowden, Microsoft is about to return to shipping one big Windows Update every year, instead of releasing smaller “Moment” updates throughout the year. “Microsoft may still use Moment updates sparingly, but they will no longer be the primary delivery vehicle for new features going forward,” Bowden explained.

The next Windows update coming next year, codenamed “Hudson Valley,” is said to include “groundbreaking AI features”. However, Bowden reports that Microsoft hasn’t decided yet if it’s going to call this update “Windows 12.” The company may want to avoid fragmenting the Windows user base even more as approximately 1 billion users are still using Windows 10, which will get its own Extended Security Update Program.

Anyway, the next Windows release will reportedly be based on a new “Germanium” platform that should make its debut next summer on new PCs powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite chips. The “Hudson Valley” update, however, is expected to ship later in the fall.

Here are the main new AI features that Microsoft is working on for next year’s Windows according to Bowden, who also emphasized that most of them will require a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU):

Advanced Copilot: While Copilot in Windows works as an Edge tab that’s pinned to the desktop, Bowden reports that Microsoft is working on an “advanced Copilot” that’s part of a new AI-powered Windows Shell. This new Copilot will be able to work in the background to improve Windows Search and do many other things to help Windows users throughout the day.

AI-powered Windows Search: Microsoft is expected to bring generative AI technology to Windows Search and allow users to find documents and other things using natural language.

New History/Timeline feature: Microsoft could resurrect Windows 10’s Timeline feature but add advanced search capabilities allowing users to find apps and websites they used in the past.

Super Resolution for videos and games: This feature will use NPUs to improve the quality and resolution of videos and games

Enhanced Live Captions: Microsoft is improving the system-level Live Captions feature to translate different languages in real-time.

AI-powered wallpapers: Microsoft could use AI on your wallpapers to create a parallax effect that kicks in when you move your cursor or react to a gyroscope on a tablet.

This isn’t a new AI feature, but Microsoft is said to be adding shortcuts to its various creativity/productivity services in the Start Menu and File Explorer. Moreover, the next version of Windows could bring big improvements to energy saver, with some devices getting up to 50% of battery life.

Lastly, this is more experimental, but Bowden is also reporting that Microsoft is working on a new desktop interface that moves the System tray and other taskbar elements at the top of the screen.” My sources say this is still in an experimental phase, and is probably unlikely to ship in 2024,” Bowden said.