Microsoft to debut new AI models, Windows upgrades at Build

Microsoft is heading to San Francisco this week with a clear mission: win back developers. I’ve been covering this conference since it was still called the Professional Developers Conference, and I honestly can’t recall a more critical moment. As the company continues to reshape its entire identity around artificial intelligence, it’s downsizing Build to a smaller, more intimate venue. With trust in both Windows and GitHub at historic lows, this is Microsoft’s best shot to reconnect with the developer community and lay out a clear path forward.

According to sources, attendees can expect announcements around new AI models for Windows, a fresh reasoning model from Microsoft AI, and a Copilot “super app.” But what may matter most to developers is that Microsoft is finally ready to share more about its work to improve the Windows experience specifically for them. I’m told the company will unveil a new Windows 11 developer-optimized experience this week. That includes many long-requested features: a distraction-free environment, pre-installed apps, tools, and scripts.

I also anticipate hearing more about Microsoft’s ongoing effort to rewrite parts of Windows 11 to boost performance and polish the user experience. The company laid out a plan to fix Windows 11 earlier this year, and we’ve already seen early improvements roll out. The Windows Insider team is expected to showcase additional customization changes later today, ahead of the Build keynote tomorrow.

Expect more news on how Windows is adapting to new hardware like Nvidia’s RTX Spark. I’m told there will be a heavier focus on local models running on Windows at Build this year, giving developers the ability to tap into local compute rather than relying on expensive cloud models. Windows chief Pavan Davuluri hinted last week that “something new is coming for developers” at Build, so I’m ready for details on the next generation of Microsoft’s smaller AI models. Notably, miniature RTX Spark PCs from Microsoft and HP were missing from Nvidia’s Computex keynote lineup, so there may be more to come.

Satya Nadella will join Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his keynote to discuss the RTX Spark announcement. I also expect Qualcomm to talk about its continued collaboration with Microsoft to expand Windows on Arm. Qualcomm and Microsoft laid most of the groundwork for Arm improvements in Windows 11, which allowed Nvidia to re-enter the Windows on Arm space after the rocky Surface RT era. Now Microsoft must balance two major Arm silicon providers, much like it has managed relationships with both AMD and Intel over the years.

Sources tell me we’ll also hear the latest on Microsoft’s in-house models at Build this week. Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman is expected to unveil MAI-Thinking-1, the company’s first reasoning model. Unlike many competitors, Microsoft did not use distillation to create this model, meaning it wasn’t trained by learning from another AI’s outputs. I expect this reasoning model to be aimed primarily at enterprise use.

The reasoning model is just one of several new models I’m expecting, including MAI-Image-2.5 and MAI-Image-2.5-Flash. Suleyman teased the MAI-Image-2.5 release last week, promising more details at Build.

Microsoft will also discuss its upcoming Copilot “super app” at the conference. First reported by Fortune, this app is designed to combine Microsoft’s various Copilot AI assistants into a single interface. Sources say work is underway to build the app, but the leaked screenshot that surfaced on Friday is just a mockup prepared for Build demonstrations. That image also featured an early look at Microsoft Scout, reportedly a new AI agent based on Microsoft’s OpenClaw work. Don’t expect the super app to launch at Build, though. Microsoft is still in the process of creating it, so a preview likely won’t arrive until late summer.

I’m also hoping to hear more about improvements to GitHub at Build this week. Last month, I wrote that GitHub is fighting for its survival within Microsoft, following a wave of departures, outages, and security incidents. The company desperately needs to rebuild trust with developers, especially as high-profile users begin raising alarms. There’s no quick fix, but since Build is being driven in part by the GitHub team, Microsoft can’t afford to ignore the issues.

We’ll be covering all the news from Microsoft Build this week, starting with the conference kickoff at 9:30AM PT / 12:30PM ET on Tuesday, June 2nd.