Remember when Microsoft was pushing the 'Copilot Plus PC' label like it was the only way to get a real computer? Well, fast forward two and a half years and that branding is officially hitting the eject button. According to Windows Central, Microsoft’s new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop don’t carry the label at all—even though they technically have the specs to match.
Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrom confirmed the shift, flat-out stating, “These are not called Copilot Plus PCs.” Qualcomm’s SVP of compute and gaming, Kedar Kondap, backed that up, signaling that future machines with similar capabilities will likely ditch the name too.
Why it was always a bit mid
Lowkey, this isn't that shocking. Back in 2024, the tech world pretty much guessed this branding was doomed because basic AI hardware was already becoming standard across almost every machine. Between the drama over the controversial 'Recall' feature and the general fatigue from AI upsells, the brand didn't exactly have fans. Even that dedicated Copilot keyboard key that everyone hated? You can finally remap it now.
What's next?
The plot thickens because Microsoft is shifting gears to focus on new hardware equipped with Nvidia chips. We’re expecting to hear way more on October 7th during their event on the future of local AI. It’s a safe bet they’ll roll out some new, flashier branding to replace the old one—because, real talk, in tech, if the vibe is off, you just rebrand.
Why it matters
This branding shift is a massive L for Microsoft’s initial marketing push. It shows that even they realized the 'Copilot Plus' label became redundant fast, proving that when everyone has AI hardware, no one is special. Keep an eye on that October 7th event to see how they plan to sell us on the 'next chapter' of personal AI.
