The Copilot+ PC brand is dead

Microsoft and Qualcomm introduced Copilot+ PCs in 2024 as an AI-first Windows hardware category with specific system requirements and exclusive on-device features, but a major security flaw in the marquee "Recall" capability forced Microsoft to delay that feature and ship devices without it. The botched rollout damaged the brand’s reputation, and over the following two years OEMs progressively removed Copilot+ labeling from marketing and product names. Surface PCs launched in 2026 no longer carry the Copilot+ moniker and Copilot+ compatibility is largely buried in spec sheets rather than promoted.

Company leaders now acknowledge the shift: Surface’s corporate VP confirmed new Surface models meet the original technical bar and support the same on-device AI experiences but are deliberately not being marketed as Copilot+ PCs. Qualcomm’s compute SVP explained Copilot+ was intended to define an NPU-based performance threshold (for example, a multi-TOPS metric) and that partners will deliver those capabilities without using the Copilot+ label. Major GPU vendors like NVIDIA have likewise avoided adopting the name for new platforms. The outcome is that the Copilot+ brand has been quietly retired while the underlying technical standards and AI features continue under different terminology.