Microsoft lays out local AI agents for Windows and prices the Surface Laptop Ultra at $2,599
At its San Francisco event, Microsoft said Copilot will act on local files only with the user’s permission and that taskbar search will gain thousands of quick actions this fall, alongside a 15-inch Surface laptop built on Nvidia’s RTX Spark.
By
Andrés Salcedo
In brief
- Microsoft held its Windows and Surface event in San Francisco, where Nvidia chief Jensen Huang joined Satya Nadella for a chat.
- With the user’s permission, Copilot will be able to act on local files, combining on-device models with cloud compute.
- From this fall, taskbar search in Windows is due to handle thousands of quick actions, from dark mode to text messages.
- The 15-inch Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599 and goes on sale October 16, with pre-orders already open.
Microsoft billed its Windows and Surface event in San Francisco as a conversation about the part local AI will play in the PC’s next chapter. In its preview, Engadget pointed out that Microsoft had already said no new operating system would ship in 2026, and judged the company more focused on improving Windows 11.
An hour of talk, then demos
The presentation began at 10 a.m. PT, or 1 p.m. ET, with a live stream on Microsoft’s YouTube channel. Engadget’s preview expected roughly an hour of programme and called it the first laptop-centric event Microsoft had held in two years. Satya Nadella, Windows and Devices head Pavan Davuluri and Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang were announced as the featured names. Engadget’s recap confirms that Huang joined Nadella for a chat in San Francisco.
Agents, security and a Copilot that can work on local files
Microsoft repeatedly stressed security, saying it wants Windows to be the safest place for AI agents to run. It also argued for a hybrid model in which some AI work happens on the device and some in the cloud.
According to Engadget’s recap of the announcements, the assistant will be able to take actions based on local files once the user allows it. It will run models on the PC and turn to the cloud when it needs more computing power, and it can produce apps and widgets on request. Its icon has also been redrawn with a face.
Setting agents up should get simpler too. A “Get Started” tool is meant to walk users through the process. Engadget names Portable Computer among the agents on offer, adding that it can run locally without consuming Perplexity cloud credits, and says Muse will arrive as a native Windows app.
Copilot’s business turn, as described by PCMag
Before the show, PCMag described a change in how Microsoft positions Copilot. Microsoft has recently folded its consumer and business Copilot apps into one, and in doing so dropped the animated Mico avatar and the option to change Windows settings. PCMag also cites Nadella calling Copilot an “OS for work”. Relaying a report from The Verge, it says the new head of Copilot, Jacob Andreou, presents the assistant as a productivity tool aimed at businesses. His predecessor, Mustafa Suleyman, now runs Microsoft AI.
Windows search turns into a command bar this fall
For search, Engadget gives a time frame: starting this fall, the taskbar box will handle thousands of quick actions, which the site likens to Spotlight on the Mac. Examples include:
- switching to dark mode
- capturing the screen
- changing the volume
- answering questions
- sending text messages
What the Surface Laptop Ultra offers
Engadget reports that the laptop was designed with developers and creators as its main audience, and sees it as a MacBook Pro rival with more ports. The figures Microsoft gave:
| Area | Announced specification |
|---|---|
| Screen | 15-inch mini-LED panel, 3:2 aspect ratio, brightness up to 2,000 nits |
| Size and weight | Less than 18mm thick, below 4.5 pounds, trackpad 30% larger than on the seventh-generation Surface laptop |
| Ports | USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, full-size SD card reader, magnetic charging through a regular USB-C port |
| Cooling and battery | thermal capacity 2.5 times that of the seventh-generation 15-inch model, all-day battery life according to Microsoft |
The machine runs on Nvidia’s Arm-based RTX Spark system-on-a-chip, whose neural processing unit meets the requirements Microsoft sets for Copilot+ PCs.
Games, prices and release
For play, Engadget puts the laptop’s graphics capabilities on a par with a GeForce RTX 5070. Microsoft demonstrated Gears of War: E-Day on the new laptop and said Call of Duty will be playable on it later this year. Ray tracing, DLSS and Nvidia Reflex are supported.
Pre-orders for the laptop opened with the announcement. The Dev Box, a mini PC Microsoft aims at heavier AI workloads, is open for pre-order too.
Featured image. Source: Pexels. Credit: Hanna Pad. License: Pexels License.
