Microsoft has given its clearest hints yet about the future of Windows. In a video interview with Pavan Davuluri, the new head of Windows and Devices, it was revealed that artificial intelligence will fundamentally change the operating system. It’s also stated that it will reshape the user experience. The traditional architecture of windows and menus will be replaced. It’s preparing to give way to a peripheral assistant who constantly understands, hears, and sees you. It’s safe to say Windows 12 will be something else entirely.
A revolution could begin with Windows 12
According to Davuluri’s statements, voice will play a major role in the future computing experience. Voice commands will be added as a third primary input method alongside the mouse and keyboard. These commands will do much more than perform mundane tasks.
Davuluri summarizes this vision with the words, “A computer must be able to semantically understand your intention to interact with it.” This means you can simultaneously issue commands to your computer in natural language while working with it. For example, when writing an email, you can say, “Rewrite this text in a more formal language and send it to Ali.”
Today, AI assistants like Copilot are positioned as applications running on top of the operating system. However, Microsoft’s new vision aims to embed AI at the heart of the operating system. Davuluri explains this shift by saying that the operating system is becoming increasingly agentic and multimodal.
This means Windows will no longer be a passive tool but a proactive one. This new generation of Windows will be able to analyze the content on your screen in real time. It will be able to provide contextual suggestions based on what you’re doing. It will also be able to understand your commands before you even complete them.
The driving force behind these revolutionary experiences will be a seamless blend of cloud and local processing power. Davuluri emphasizes this hybrid structure by saying, “Windows experiences will utilize a combination of capabilities available in both the local and cloud. Furthermore, it is our responsibility to ensure they are seamless for our customers.”
However, the biggest concern brought about by this new world is undoubtedly privacy. The idea of an operating system that sees everything on your screen and constantly listens to environmental sounds is a compelling one. This idea raises serious questions about how user data will be processed. It’s a matter of curiosity how Microsoft will gain user trust while making this technological leap a reality. Furthermore, this issue will be the most critical issue in the coming period.
This transformation in the industry isn’t limited to Microsoft. Apple is also known to be working on a new mobile operating system similarly centered around voice. It appears our relationship with computers will radically change over the next five years, likely starting with Windows 12.
