Microsoft has stopped using the Copilot Plus PC designation for its new AI-capable computers, marking the end of a branding effort that began roughly two and a half years ago. The company’s latest Surface devices—a 12-inch Surface Pro and a 13-inch Surface Laptop—technically satisfy the hardware requirements for Copilot Plus but are not marketed under that name. Brett Ostrom, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for Surface, confirmed that the company no longer refers to the new devices as Copilot Plus PCs.
The shift was first reported by Zac Bowden of Windows Central, with additional coverage by Sean Hollister of The Verge. Qualcomm senior vice president of compute and gaming Kedar Kondap indicated that similar computers offering the same experiences are unlikely to carry the branding either, effectively confirming the label’s retirement.
A Brand Built on AI Muscle
When Copilot Plus PCs arrived in early 2024, they were positioned as a distinct class of hardware with dedicated AI processing power. The idea was to differentiate machines capable of running advanced AI tasks locally, without relying on cloud servers. At the time, industry observers predicted that basic AI hardware would soon become standard across nearly all PCs, making a special designation less meaningful.
The flagship feature meant to showcase this new class was Recall, a tool that captured and stored snapshots of user activity to enable natural-language search across a timeline. Recall’s reception was poor, drawing criticism over privacy and security concerns. The feature’s struggles cast a shadow over the broader Copilot Plus PC pitch.
Backlash and Adjustments
Microsoft also faced pushback for what critics described as aggressive AI upsells within Windows. The dedicated Copilot key, introduced on many new keyboards, became a symbol of that friction. In response, Microsoft later allowed users to remap the key, a concession that underscored the tension between the company’s AI ambitions and user preferences.
By September 2026, both Microsoft and Qualcomm acknowledged that the Copilot Plus PC branding had run its course. The new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, while meeting the technical bar, are simply presented as Surface devices—no special AI moniker attached.
Nvidia Chips and a New Era
Microsoft’s flagship hardware is now shifting to Nvidia chips, a move expected to usher in a new phase of personal AI on Windows. Nvidia’s involvement signals a change in the underlying silicon strategy, potentially enabling more powerful local AI workloads. The company has scheduled an event for October 7th focused on local AI and the next chapter of the PC. That gathering may introduce a new brand to replace Copilot Plus PC.
For now, the quiet removal of the Copilot Plus PC label suggests Microsoft is rethinking how it communicates AI capabilities to consumers. Rather than a separate tier, AI may become an assumed part of modern computing—no badge required.
