Microsoft has removed the Copilot+ PC branding from its latest Surface devices. Brett Ostrum, corporate VP of Surface, confirmed that the new Surface Pro 12-inch (2nd Edition) and Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) do not carry the label, despite meeting all technical requirements. These devices, launching on October 13, feature Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus processors and a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU rated at 80 TOPS.
The original standard for Copilot+ PCs required 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an NPU capable of at least 40 TOPS. While Microsoft previously used the branding to define a new category of intelligent hardware, the company has redirected its primary marketing page to focus on performance PCs. This shift follows a period where the label was associated with security concerns regarding the Recall feature.
Market data indicates a decline in interest for the AI PC category. In January 2025, Satya Nadella noted that Copilot+ PCs accounted for 15 percent of premium laptop sales in the US. However, analysts from IDC suggest that consumer demand is wavering due to the availability of cloud-based AI alternatives. Manufacturers like Dell have also significantly reduced AI-focused branding in their 2026 lineups.
Future marketing efforts may pivot toward new hardware capabilities rather than AI-specific labels. Microsoft plans to release a Surface Laptop Ultra equipped with Nvidia RTX Spark laptop GPUs this fall. Industry observers suggest that this new hardware branding may take precedence over the existing Copilot+ PC terminology as the company updates its product strategy for the current year.
