One of the best parts of my role is the opportunity to work with our MVP community. We have a tight knit group of folks worldwide who are passionate about Surface, Windows, and all things tech. They're super active in their communities, showcasing their thought leadership and technical know-how, making a real impact with customers and enthusiasts alike.
With all the buzz around the latest Microsoft and Surface announcements, I wanted to get some insights from our MVPs. They'll share their thoughts on everything from AI PCs to security, management, sustainability, and more. Let’s get started!
A quick recap
In case you missed it, we recently announced two new sets of devices built for business, leading the way for AI experiences: the Surface Laptop 6 for Business and Surface Pro 10 for Business. These AI PCs are powered by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra processors and are ready to enhance productivity with Copilot, bringing AI-accelerated experiences right to your desk. With AI-enhanced cameras and mics that support Windows Studio Effects, accelerated by a neural processing unit (NPU), these devices are game changers for businesses.
For customers looking to push the envelope with AI, we also announced our Copilot+ PCs: Surface Pro (11th edition) and Surface Laptop (7th edition), coming later this year. These devices feature Qualcomm Snapdragon® X Series processors and on-device AI that helps find almost anything fast with the optional Recall feature and empowers collaboration with real-time translation of 40+ languages to English with Live Captions, and more.
Thoughts from our Surface MVPs
Chauncey Larsen
As someone who has been active in supporting the Surface community and guiding our customers through several OS upgrades and other changes in the PC industry, Barb Bowman has a wealth of experience helping IT Pros deploy Surface and embrace modern device experiences. Barb, tell us a little bit about your history and what you think about these new AI PCs.
Barb Bowman
"I look back at my first personal computer, a Tandy 1000, with 128 KiB of RAM and no hard drive when I thought 'Everything is going to change and every store, every office, every agency of every government will no longer run on punch cards, big central computers, and paper. This changes the world.' And change it did.
I’ve seen an exponential growth in processors, RAM, and graphics chips. Like everyone else, I've used search engines and the cloud to find and process information. But it still takes hours of manual spreadsheet analysis to get any actionable insights from our own business information.
Until now. AI computing and the AI-powered PC are poised to change everything about how we work. Ultimately, the time saved by leveraging AI for our business data will free us up for other tasks, like growing our client bases.
Adding an NPU to our state-of-the-art devices is changing how computers operate and how we work with our data. Imagine, like my cousin, you're a manufacturer’s representative and sell over 100 lines of clothing and accessories. Then what if you could customize a product catalog for each customer, from the data on your computer, using their purchase history to highlight new and related items? You could then present this information in a personalized document containing descriptions, images, pricing, delivery and shipping information.
Another thing I like is that AI PCs can locally process all your business data. There's no need to sync with the cloud. Your sensitive business and personal data stays on your computer. This is just the beginning of a new age of computing.
The Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business are the first Microsoft-built, AI PCs that include Intel’s NPU along with Intel’s Core Ultra processor and will begin to supercharge our everyday business tasks. I can’t wait to be part of the new computing age with one of these!"
Chauncey Larsen
I agree and love the potential real-world example. I think we’re just getting started with how AI PCs can revolutionize the way we work with our data and processes. It's an exciting time to be in the industry.
Now I’d like to introduce Alexander Solaat Rødland, one of our Surface MVPs in Norway, who actively hosts seminars and events as well as a podcast. Alexander, we've discussed your passion for security. Can you expand on your views regarding security on the Surface platform?
Alexander Solaat Rødland
"As computers evolved from assisting tools to primary working tools, security became crucial. Early threats targeted the OS in the form of viruses, trojans, and rootkits. As the potential profits for a successful attack increased, modern threats became more sophisticated, targeting firmware and essential components. Surface devices were among the first to, by default, enable virtualization-based security, inspired by research and innovation included in the Xbox One, and built robust security measures into their design.
As Windows 10 security advanced, Microsoft announced the Secured-core PC together with their OEMs and partners – including Surface. This set the reference design for how to secure devices and the integrity of the platform from chip-to-cloud.
For Microsoft Surface, security is built into their entire design including the supply-chain, which they supervise and monitor to comply with security and inspection requirements. To ease the worry of security and compliance requirements for any organization, the Surface team built tools for key tasks like managing UEFI and firmware settings, performing image recovery, or securely erasing SSDs along with the ability to print a certificate of an erased disk.
Looking ahead, new AI powered devices could open a world of possibilities of high-performing security tasks without compromising user experience. With NPUs, we're seeing more efficient and secure processing, keeping data on the device."
Chauncey Larsen
I can imagine a future where AI enhances the security posture of our devices, and microprocessors like the NPU add efficiencies and minimize the impact of those security processes. We’re already seeing benefits with these recent devices where information inferred by the NPU remains entirely on the device, so that data doesn’t need to traverse the cloud. All great points.
Next up, we have Sung Ki Park, a Surface MVP from Korea who is continually active across social media and events where he represents Surface, Windows and Microsoft 365. Sung Ki, how do you think Surface impacts our remote and hybrid workforce?
Sung Ki Park
"Remote work is booming, the number of digital nomads are on the rise, and various forms of remote work, such as the use of base co-working spaces, work from home, and “workcation,” are becoming increasingly popular. Users need long battery life, stable performance, and features like background noise removal during remote meetings through Microsoft Teams. And these users all need to be protected from the increasing security threats that come with remote work.
Woman in cafe working on Surface Pro
All the latest Surface devices raise the bar on essential features for digital nomads and remote workers.
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- Windows Studio Effects features are available through the Intel® AI Boost NPU included in Intel® Core™ Ultra & Qualcomm® Hexagon NPU included in the Qualcomm Snapdragon® X Elite and Plus. This allows you to use background removal and eye-contact automatic framing functions. And since these tasks are handled by the NPU, the burden on the CPU is significantly reduced.
- By taking over some of the CPU's tasks, the NPU lowers the power usage and helps the battery last longer. Also, by decreasing the amount of heat production, it avoids performance loss due to throttling.
- Additionally, the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Pro (11th edition) will be available in 5G models, enabling remote working in co-working spaces, cafes, or hotel lobbies without Wi-Fi.
- On Surface Pro 10 and Surface Pro (11th edition), the 1440p Quad HD camera with ultrawide field of view allows you to capture not only yourself but also several attendees in a remote meeting during remote work or workcation.
- Windows Hello face authentication and NFC authentication added to Surface Pro 10 and Surface Pro (11th edition) can prevent anyone else from unlocking your PC.
- Hardware -based TPM 2.0 and Secured-core PC design help mitigate hardware security threats, and Windows Update helps you respond to the latest security threats through regular definition and periodic firmware updates.
In addition, Dolby Vision™ IQ for display and Dolby® Atmos® support for audio can greatly enhance the movie and music listening experience at leisure and relaxation.
In this way, the AI PC-based or Copilot+ PC-based Microsoft Surface provides the essentials for remote workers and digital nomads where work and leisure coexist. So, if you need to purchase a new PC, it will be a necessity, not an option.
Chauncey Larsen
Here in the US, I recently had the opportunity to travel to a few events on the West Coast, and it never ceases to amaze me how crystal clear my meetings are – both from my perspective, but also from the folks on the other end. Throw in background blur and automatic framing, and I had no issues taking critical calls in my hotel room. I agree that this is one of the areas Surface really shines – mobility.
Next up, let’s hear from Anand Narayanaswamy, one of our newest Surface MVPs based in India. He’s got some thoughts on the Copilot key and what that means for engaging with AI.
Anand Narayanaswamy
"It was a big day for tech enthusiasts on January 4, 2024, when Microsoft announced the introduction of a new Copilot key to Windows 11 PCs. The Copilot key is one of the biggest changes to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades. No doubt, the Copilot key will help users be productive since you only need to tap on the key to work with Copilot in Windows 11. Just like Copilot in Microsoft Edge or on Copilot.Microsoft.com, Copilot combines powerful large language models with the intelligence of the Microsoft Graph to help you synthesize data from multiple sources, give you summaries on things you missed across the web and more. When you combine Copilot with Microsoft 365 data, Copilot in Windows enables you to query your meetings, emails, and files and do more with the data most important to you. Simply put, the Copilot key makes it super easy to utilize AI without distraction."
Chauncey Larsen
When I first heard about the new key, to be honest, I was surprised, if not a bit skeptical. Since I started using Surface Pro 10, the Copilot key has become critical in my daily usage. To your points, I use it to make basic searches, but I’ve also just started to dabble in how Copilot in Microsoft 365 can make my job easier as a marketer – and it’s changed so many of my work habits!
To round out the insight in our first MVP co-written blog, I’m going to introduce Rob Quickenden, one of our Surface MVPs in the UK. I’d love to read your perspective on what makes AI PCs important in supporting our customer’s needs.
Rob Quickenden
"So, you might be asking 'yeah ok, but why should I invest now rather than wait until my devices are naturally up for a refresh?'
Well, as explained in this post, this new class of AI PC stands out from the previous generation of devices. For businesses implementing an AI strategy, AI PCs can make a considerable difference. Here are my top three game changers:
- Dedicated AI processors: AI PCs equipped with NPUs, executing AI models locally and in real time, enhance performance and efficiency. By doing this on an NPU, we also reduce the impact and load on the CPU, ensuring AI workloads don’t impact performance of non-AI workloads.
- Enhanced AI capabilities: While some AI tasks can be executed by a conventional CPU in software (for example Windows Studio Effects), AI PCs can simply handle tasks like visual and audio inferencing, live transcription, and language processing much faster and more efficiently by offloading workloads to the device’s NPU.
- Performance and battery Life: The integration of NPUs leads to improved processor efficiency, extended battery life, and increased security, making AI PCs more effective for users.
- AI-accelerated experiences: As the wave of AI increases in sophistication and development, developers WILL start to build apps and services that require an NPU (we already see this in some Windows AI features today). AI PCs enable new AI-powered experiences and features, which are quicker and unlock additional NPU-specific functionalities, providing a more responsive operating system and applications.
While Copilot in Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365 may function adequately on a Surface Pro 9 or Surface Laptop 5 (or other older device), these AI PC models provide a significantly enhanced and tightly integrated experience with AI-driven applications. This enhancement can be transformative for businesses aiming to maintain a competitive edge. By investing now rather than waiting, organizations can promptly leverage these advantages. Considering that this represents the future of computing, opting for this hardware is a logical choice for any forward-thinking organization.
Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, represent the current flagship AI PC (using the latest Intel Chipsets) and have been a game changer in the tech industry bringing AI capabilities to Surface for Business devices. Equipped with advanced AI capabilities, these devices provide seamless multitasking, intelligent predictions and personalized experiences -- all enabled by new AI features in Windows 11.
We then have the newly announced Copilot+ PCs: Surface Laptop (7th edition) and Surface Pro (11th edition). These are powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series Arm-based processors and run Windows on Arm. These devices go beyond the capabilities of our AI PCs thanks to powerful new dedicated NPU processors designed to run the next generation of AI applications with local off-loading.
Ultimately, choosing a Copilot+ PC or an AI PC depends on user needs. Some organizations still require an Intel based device for x86/X64 app compatibility and management. Other organizations will look to the sheer AI horse power in this new generation of Copilot+ PCs as the deciding factor. Both devices have their strengths, and the decision over which blend of devices ultimately comes down to what the organization and user values most in their device, the apps they use, and, potentially, the apps that leverage the new NPUs locally.
Above all – we have not seen this much innovation in the PC hardware architecture for more than a decade, and with IDC predicting 2024 being the year of significant growth in end-user computing, there’s never been a better time to choose a Surface!
Chauncey Larsen
Completely agreed – what an amazing time to be a PC owner. Having been with Surface for over a decade, I feel the excitement and opportunity that the AI PC represents. We are on the precipice of something major – a fundamental shift in the way that we interface with data and in the way that we are productive. I see our silicon partners joining us on this journey and building innovative technologies to bring these AI experiences to life.
Thank you so much for everyone’s thoughts in this blog. My goal is to continue this series and hear from our MVPs throughout the year, covering topics from AI to security to design. And don’t forget to follow our Surface MVPs—they’re always up to amazing things in our community.
Thanks for reading!
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