A senior Microsoft exec says future Windows versions will offer more interactive, ‘multimodal’ experiences

A senior Microsoft executive has suggested future versions of Windows will mark a step change in how users interact with the operating system.

During a recent appearance on the Windows IT Pro podcast, Pavan Davuluri, head of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices business, hinted that the company's next operating system - perhaps Windows 12 - will offer users a more “multimodal” experience, drawing from on-device AI capabilities.

“I think one of the core constructs there [is] looking at the interface of Windows evolving, looking at the interface itself becoming more multimodal and more capable based on new interaction technologies that come to life,” he said.

“Whether that’s mouse and keyboard moving to pen and touch and so on. I think one of the transformational things that’s also happening for us is the fact that we now have these AI models that can run on-device.

“These are reasonably performant models running on-device. They in turn, bring a bunch of new capabilities and agencies to the platform and the device itself.”

In terms of what capabilities users might expect from this sharpened focus on AI in Windows, Davuluri said this deeper integration and fusion between the operating system and AI will help drive improved tool orchestration and edge capabilities.

“For us, the biggest priority, of course, is to be able to make sure as we evolve Copilot Plus PCs with these new capabilities, we’re able to have the Copilot in Windows, have the M365 Copilot, take advantage of these capabilities,” he added.

“We see value in the Windows operating system itself having intrinsic understanding of these new AI models that are running in them and taking advantage of new capabilities.”

Windows 12 will be a more interactive experience

The multimodality Davuluri touted for any upcoming operating system will be the linchpin for new interactive features, particularly in areas such as voice input.

It’s an area that not only appears to represent the next logical step in user interaction - especially given on-device natural language capabilities - but also from an accessibility standpoint, as host Christiaan Brinkhoff noted.

“I think we will see computing become more ambient, more pervasive, continue to span form factors, and certainly become more multi-modal in the arc of time,” Davuluri said.

“We started with the notion of a desktop and a keyboard and a mouse and a monitor. We've gone through several revolutions, several technology new paradigm shifts.

“I think experience diversity is the next space where we will continue to see voice becoming more important. So you'll be able to speak to your computer while writing, inking, interacting with another person, for example. You should be able to have the computer semantically understand your intent to interact with it.”

We’re going to be waiting a while for Windows 12

Speculation over when Microsoft will announce plans for Windows 12 has been mounting over the last 18 months, especially given the fact Windows 11 will be four years old in October.

Hopes of a pending reveal were dashed when the tech giant confirmed the next big update for Windows 11 in June, with 25H2 coming later this year.

This update is expected to coincide with the Windows 10 end of life deadline in October, which itself has been a long-running challenge for the tech giant.

Microsoft has embarked on a massive push to drive users to Windows 11 in recent years, with many unwilling to switch to the new operating system - largely due to the popularity of Windows 10.

Indeed, Windows 11 only recently overtook its predecessor in terms of global user count, highlighting the customer hesitancy Microsoft has faced.

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