Microsoft's ambitious plan to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its PCs has been met with lukewarm reception from consumers. The company launched its "Copilot+" initiative last year with the aim of creating capable laptops equipped with AI-powered features, but sales have been underwhelming.
The problem is that most people aren't as excited about AI as tech companies are. Microsoft's Recall feature, which snaps screenshots to create a database of everything you've done, has raised significant privacy concerns from the start. Moreover, the AI features on offer haven't exactly blown consumers away. The ability to remember files and websites opened may seem useful at first glance, but in practice, it doesn't make a significant difference.
As a result, Microsoft's Copilot+ systems have failed to gain traction. According to data from Mercury Research, they accounted for less than 10 percent of systems shipped in the third quarter of 2024. Even more damningly, they made up just 2.3 percent of Windows machines sold in the first quarter of 2025 and a mere 1.9 percent of the entire PC market.
So why is Microsoft still pushing forward with its Copilot+ initiative? The answer lies in the company's long-term vision for AI-powered PCs. Rather than trying to force consumers to adopt expensive new laptops, Microsoft aims to create an ecosystem where every Windows 11 computer becomes an "AI PC".
This approach involves introducing cloud-powered voice commands and features like "Copilot Vision", which lets users see what's on their screen with the help of AI assistant Copilot. However, unlike some other AI features that require beefy neural processing units (NPU), only one new feature actually needs an NPU – a minor update to Click to Do.
While Microsoft's efforts may not have been a huge success in terms of sales, they do mark a significant step forward in the company's strategy for AI. The research firm Omdia predicts that AI PCs will account for 55 percent of computers shipped by 2026 and 75 percent by 2029.
However, the reality is that most AI workloads are currently cloud-based and don't require onboard NPU processing. As a result, Microsoft's Copilot+ initiative may be more about creating hype than achieving tangible sales success. Nevertheless, it's clear that AI PCs will become increasingly prevalent over the next few years – but for now, they remain a niche market with relatively niche applications.
The problem is that most people aren't as excited about AI as tech companies are. Microsoft's Recall feature, which snaps screenshots to create a database of everything you've done, has raised significant privacy concerns from the start. Moreover, the AI features on offer haven't exactly blown consumers away. The ability to remember files and websites opened may seem useful at first glance, but in practice, it doesn't make a significant difference.
As a result, Microsoft's Copilot+ systems have failed to gain traction. According to data from Mercury Research, they accounted for less than 10 percent of systems shipped in the third quarter of 2024. Even more damningly, they made up just 2.3 percent of Windows machines sold in the first quarter of 2025 and a mere 1.9 percent of the entire PC market.
So why is Microsoft still pushing forward with its Copilot+ initiative? The answer lies in the company's long-term vision for AI-powered PCs. Rather than trying to force consumers to adopt expensive new laptops, Microsoft aims to create an ecosystem where every Windows 11 computer becomes an "AI PC".
This approach involves introducing cloud-powered voice commands and features like "Copilot Vision", which lets users see what's on their screen with the help of AI assistant Copilot. However, unlike some other AI features that require beefy neural processing units (NPU), only one new feature actually needs an NPU – a minor update to Click to Do.
While Microsoft's efforts may not have been a huge success in terms of sales, they do mark a significant step forward in the company's strategy for AI. The research firm Omdia predicts that AI PCs will account for 55 percent of computers shipped by 2026 and 75 percent by 2029.
However, the reality is that most AI workloads are currently cloud-based and don't require onboard NPU processing. As a result, Microsoft's Copilot+ initiative may be more about creating hype than achieving tangible sales success. Nevertheless, it's clear that AI PCs will become increasingly prevalent over the next few years – but for now, they remain a niche market with relatively niche applications.
... people aren't super stoked about their AI features and Microsoft is trying too hard to push them onto unsuspecting customers 
. I mean, who really wants their screens snapped to create a database of everything they've done? 
It's just weird! 
And let's be real, the sales are pretty lackluster - 1.9% of the entire PC market? That's not exactly a confidence booster 
.
. It's all about creating an ecosystem where every Windows 11 computer can be an "AI PC" 
... and that could lead to some seriously cool features down the line 
.
. Maybe if they did that, we'd actually see some AI-powered PCs take off 
... or at least be more than just a niche market 
But seriously, I think Microsoft is onto something with their vision for making every Windows 11 computer an "AI PC". It's just that the current state of consumer interest in AI might be a bit...meh.
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. That one's definitely a game-changer. But let's be real, most people aren't going to shell out extra cash for a laptop just because it has some fancy AI features 
, but one thing's for sure - AI is definitely going to change the game in the next few years. For now, it's just a bunch of niche tech for early adopters 
. But hey, that's what makes innovation so exciting 
!
and those AI features aren't as cool as they sound. But at the same time, I think Microsoft is thinking way ahead of the game 
. This whole "AI PC" thing could be huge in the future, especially if people start using it more and more for cloud-based stuff. The fact that Omdia predicts 75% of PCs will be AI-powered by 2029? That's wild 
. Still, I'm curious to see where this all goes in the next few years 
. Like, I'm all for innovation and stuff, but if people aren't exactly jumping at the chance to buy these "AI PCs", what's the point? 
... still, can't help but wonder if we'll be stuck with a bunch of underutilized NPU's 
. Microsoft just wants to get its hands on all our personal data and control our every move 
. I mean, who needs cloud-powered voice commands when you've got good old-fashioned human intuition? 
. Mark my words, this AI PC nonsense will be the downfall of us all... 
.
. It just doesn't feel like a game-changer for the average user.
I mean, most AI workloads are still in the cloud, right? So what's the point of NPU processing if you're just gonna outsource it to the cloud anyway? 