Microsoft Retires Copilot+ PC Branding for New AI Hardware

Microsoft is discontinuing the Copilot+ PC branding for its latest hardware, including the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13. While these new devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus processor and meet the technical requirements previously established for the category—including the 45 TOPS NPU requirement—they will no longer carry the specific logo or name.

Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrum confirmed that new devices are no longer called Copilot+ PCs, though they maintain the same hardware standards. The company is shifting its messaging to focus on general AI PC capabilities and on-device AI processing. Despite the branding change, the new hardware reportedly delivers up to 95 percent faster local AI inferencing on the NPU compared to the previous generation.

The branding decline follows a poorly received launch marked by security concerns surrounding the Recall feature and a lack of market resonance. Other industry players have similarly shifted away from the terminology; Nvidia Inc. opted not to use the brand for its RTX Spark platform despite meeting the necessary specifications. Microsoft continues to prioritize hybrid AI solutions and AI on the edge, moving away from a consumer-facing badge toward a broader narrative of AI PC capabilities.