Microsoft pushes AI vision with new, expensive Surface laptop
The launch is part of a broader tech push for hardware that handles more AI computing on-device, reducing reliance on cloud data centres.
Microsoft unveiled a high-end Surface Ultra laptop priced over US$2,500, featuring Nvidia's cutting-edge RTX Spark AI chip. The announcement signals the tech giant's push towards a future of hybrid intelligence, where AI computing can be handled both locally on devices and remotely in the cloud. This shift aims to reduce dependency on expensive cloud data centers and deliver faster, more cost-effective AI processing.
Nvidia, known for powering AI data centers, is venturing into personal computing, a field traditionally dominated by Intel and Qualcomm. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the company's vision of "hybrid intelligence" being pervasive across all computing devices. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang asserted that AI will be integrated into every computing platform, with agentic AI systems capable of autonomous tasks.
The partnership between Microsoft and Nvidia aims to compete with Apple, Intel, and AMD in the personal computing market. Microsoft has been developing "AI PCs" since 2024, initially using Qualcomm chips before switching to Nvidia's RTX Spark. The new Surface Ultra will offer some AI computing locally, while other applications remain cloud-based.
Microsoft is also integrating AI features into its productivity suite, with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint becoming available through its AI-powered assistant, Copilot. The company is reducing its reliance on OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, by developing its in-house AI models, such as those powering GitHub's Copilot coding tool.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Microsoft pushes AI vision with new, expensive Surface laptop freemalaysiatoday.com
