Tags: Operating System

Recent reporting gathers a range of circulating rumors about a possible Windows 12 operating system. The speculation suggests a launch sometime in 2026, a modular design, and a heavy integration of artificial intelligence features that may require a subscription for advanced capabilities. A powerful neural processing unit (NPU) is said to be a prerequisite for the AI functions, and visual tweaks like a floating taskbar and transparent UI elements are also mentioned. The news has provoked a strong negative reaction from many users on social platforms, with criticism aimed at the idea of AI features locked behind a paywall. Read more

A wave of senior departures has hit Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab, with three top executives leaving for OpenAI and additional staff expected to follow. At the same time, Anthropic is attracting alignment and safety researchers from OpenAI, including a senior safety lead who focuses on mental‑health‑related AI responses. The moves underscore intense competition for AI talent, highlighted by OpenAI’s latest hire of a former Shopify engineering director to work on its long‑rumored operating system. Read more

Microsoft has rolled out a new Windows 11 Insider build that adds an optional "experimental agentic features" toggle. The update enables Copilot Actions, an AI‑driven assistant that can handle tasks such as file organization, meeting scheduling, and email composition. While the feature aims to boost productivity, Microsoft acknowledges novel security risks and has built safeguards, including separate user accounts for agents, mandatory user approvals, activity logs, and observable actions. The feature is currently disabled by default and limited to early test builds. Read more

Microsoft is rolling out an experimental feature called agent workspaces in Windows 11, allowing AI agents to run in a sandboxed environment separate from the user’s account. The design emphasizes security and privacy by granting agents limited permissions to specific apps and files. Early testing will involve a small group of insiders, with plans to expand as feedback is gathered. Microsoft highlights the ability to manage each agent’s access, maintain logs of activity, and protect against risks such as hallucinations or prompt injection. Sample agents include Copilot Actions for routine tasks and Manus AI for more complex projects. Read more

Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s head of Windows, responded to the backlash over AI integration in Windows 11. He acknowledged that the operating system still has work to do on everyday usability, reliability, and performance, and said the team is listening to extensive user feedback. While he highlighted the company’s focus on fixing inconsistent dialogs and power‑user experiences, he did not address concerns about advertising and ecosystem‑driven prompts. The response also drew attention to a recent Copilot demo that many users found confusing, underscoring the challenges Microsoft faces in balancing new AI features with a stable user experience. Read more

OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as an operating system, turning the conversational AI into a central hub that can launch and control third‑party services. Users can address apps directly within the chat, asking Spotify to create playlists or Expedia to locate flights, illustrating a seamless integration that blurs the line between chat and traditional app experiences. This shift is framed as both a smart business move to own the platform and a practical way to make the product more intuitive for everyday tasks. Read more

OpenAI has introduced third‑party apps that run inside ChatGPT, allowing users to trigger services like Spotify, Booking.com, and Canva by mentioning the app name in a chat. The new functionality works through a simple prompt interface, and the first use prompts a connection request to clarify data sharing. While the rollout currently excludes EU customers, OpenAI plans to open a dedicated directory for app discovery and expects a surge of submissions. Executives describe the evolution as turning ChatGPT into a universal operating system that blends search, desktop tasks, and AI agents under one text‑based interface. Read more

Microsoft announced a major restructuring that consolidates its Windows client and server engineering groups into one organization led by Windows chief Pavan Davuluri. The move reunites most Windows development under a single division, aiming to sharpen focus on the company’s priorities and accelerate the rollout of AI‑driven features. While certain low‑level components will continue to be supported by Azure teams, the bulk of the operating system’s engineering now reports directly to Davuluri, positioning the group to deliver on Microsoft’s vision of an "Agentic OS" and to deepen integration with emerging AI capabilities. Read more

Selecting a laptop involves balancing price, operating system, size, screen quality, processor, graphics, memory, and storage. Buyers should assess their budget, decide between Windows and macOS, consider portability versus larger displays, and prioritize higher‑resolution screens for sharper visuals. Understanding CPU families—from Intel and AMD to Apple’s M‑series—helps match performance needs, while graphics choices hinge on integrated versus discrete GPUs. At least 16 GB of RAM is recommended for smooth multitasking, and solid‑state drives have become the storage standard. This guide distills these factors to aid consumers in making an informed purchase that will serve them for years. Read more

Google confirmed that Android will arrive on personal computers next year, unveiling a plan to blend Android with ChromeOS. The announcement, made during Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit, featured Sameer Samat, head of Android Ecosystem, who highlighted the effort to bring Android's AI advances to laptops while maintaining seamless integration with the broader Android ecosystem. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors, including the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the X2 Elite series, were cited as likely hardware targets for the forthcoming OS. Read more