A new Windows roadmap is already being formed within the walls of Microsoft, within which the next major system update called Hudson Valley is being developed. This update will be "revolutionary," writes EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies ‘groundbreaking’ AI-focused Windows release as new leadership takes the helm Windows Central.
Hudson Valley is notable for the close integration of AI technologies into various components of the operating system. And some of these innovations may require the presence of a certain neural processor (NPU).A new key feature will be the introduction of Windows Shell based on artificial intelligence, complemented by an advanced chatbot Copilot. The latter will be able to constantly work in the background to improve search, launch applications or workflows, as well as a deeper understanding of the context.
In addition, the company is working on a new history/timeline feature. It will allow users to scroll back in time and filter all the apps and websites that Copilot has memorized. For example, you can enter "Income for Fiscal Year 24" in the search, and every time this term was on the screen, it will be displayed again.
AI will also improve Windows search by enabling the use of natural language. If you don't remember the title or the contents of the document, the search query "find me the document that Bob sent me on WhatsApp a few days ago" is something that Windows search will really understand.
Other artificial intelligence features include so-called super resolution, which will use NPU hardware to enhance video and graphics quality in games. An improved version of Live Captions is also in development, which will be able to translate audio from video or live conversation into various languages — in real time.
Under Panos Panaye, the former head of Windows, Microsoft has changed the way it releases new versions of the system. It was decided to switch to a three-year update cycle, which was supplemented by small updates every few months. The new management returns to the annual release of the main versions of the platform.
Already in 2024, Microsoft plans to release a new major version of the system, codenamed Germanium, on which the Hudson Valley release will later be based.
