Microsoft quietly drops Copilot+ PC branding from new Surfaces
Surface hardware chief Brett Ostrum confirmed new devices meeting the old requirements are no longer called Copilot+ PCs, as Microsoft shifts away from a label tied to the Recall backlash.
Microsoft is retiring the Copilot+ PC branding it introduced in 2024, 9to5Google reported, with the label absent from its newest Surface laptops despite the devices meeting the original hardware bar.
Surface CVP Brett Ostrum confirmed the shift. He told 9to5Google "these are not called Copilot+ PCs" about the new devices, even though they carry the same specifications Microsoft used to define the category. Microsoft has not issued a public statement explaining the change.
The Copilot+ PC label launched alongside the Recall feature in 2024. It became associated with Recall after that feature drew criticism over privacy concerns tied to its screenshot-based history. 9to5Google said Microsoft appears to be shifting toward broader language about "AI on the edge" rather than a specific hardware badge.
The Copilot+ PC push had already drawn skepticism from reviewers. They said the badge worked as a checkbox most buyers did not understand, rather than a meaningful signal about what a laptop could do, according to 9to5Google.