‘Computer will see what we see’: Microsoft teases Windows 2030 vision with AI

Microsoft has unveiled the first installment of a series of videos detailing its ambitious roadmap for the Windows operating system, branded as the "Windows 2030 Vision." In a recently released video, David Weston, the Corporate Vice President of Enterprise and Security at Microsoft, provides a fascinating preview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is set to reshape the future of computing. The tech giant is hinting at a dramatic evolution in user-device interaction. Weston proposes that by the year 2030, Windows might be largely governed by what Microsoft refers to as agentic AI—an innovative form of AI engineered to act independently on behalf of users. This shift could revolutionize the desktop experience, potentially diminishing the reliance on traditional input devices such as the mouse and keyboard. "I have a strong conviction that future iterations of Windows and other Microsoft platforms will engage with users in a multimodal fashion," Weston states. "Imagine a computer that can see what we see, hear what we hear, and respond to our commands to perform increasingly complex tasks." He further elaborates on the notion that conventional computing methods may soon become relics of the past, drawing a parallel between the keyboard and mouse of the future and how contemporary users view MS-DOS, the early command-line interface of personal computing. While the video stops short of providing extensive details, it reinforces earlier statements from Microsoft executives who have asserted that AI could one day function seamlessly within, alongside, and even outside of applications. This concept was notably explored at Microsoft’s Build 2023 developer conference, where discussions centered on AI's potential to autonomously manage files, tasks, and applications through natural language commands. Moreover, CEO Satya Nadella echoed these transformative ideas during the Snapdragon Summit in 2023, emphasizing that AI will "fundamentally redefine what an operating system entails, what user interfaces look like, and how applications interact with users." At present, AI is primarily integrated into Windows through features like Copilot or within specific applications. However, this latest trajectory suggests a deeper, more proactive integration of AI at the operating system level, where it could play a pivotal, autonomous role in enhancing user workflows.