Microsoft quietly drops Copilot+ branding after poor sales, exec confirms

The Copilot+ brand was launched in 2024 to distinguish PCs with local AI features and dedicated neural processing units able to deliver at least 40 TOPS of performance. But a little over two years later, according to Tom's Hardware, Microsoft and PC makers are pulling back from the label. The decision follows what Tom's Hardware described as a "disastrous launch" and reports that compatible laptops accounted for less than 10 percent of total shipments in the third quarter of 2024.

Ostrum said the new machines "do meet all the requirements of our previous bar for what Copilot+ devices are," but are being sold without the name. "We still lean into the narrative around AI on the edge and being able to have a hybrid out there," he told Windows Central. Even devices that would have qualified under the old scheme, including Nvidia's upcoming RTX Spark N1X laptops, have reportedly avoided the branding.

Why This Matters

The retreat from Copilot+ signals that the first wave of "AI PC" marketing failed to resonate with mainstream buyers, despite a heavy push by Microsoft and its hardware partners.
The change could force chipmakers like Nvidia and PC makers to reposition on-device AI around raw specs, practical applications, or a fresh brand.
The underlying hardware requirements remain in place, so the shift is largely a rebranding rather than an abandonment of on-device AI — but the industry is still searching for a message that sells.

Background

Microsoft introduced the Copilot+ brand in 2024 to create a premium tier of Windows laptops capable of running AI workloads locally using a dedicated NPU and meeting a minimum 40 TOPS performance threshold. The goal was to give Windows hardware a distinct identity in the laptop market and to seed the ecosystem for AI-powered Windows features. The launch stumbled, however, and early sales were weak. Now, just over two years on, Microsoft and PC makers are quietly discarding the label even as they continue to ship machines that meet the original specification.

Key Perspectives

Microsoft (via Brett Ostrum): The company insists the hardware and its on-device AI strategy remain unchanged, but the "Copilot+ PC" name is being dropped. Ostrum emphasized that Microsoft continues to lean into "AI on the edge" and hybrid computing.

PC makers (per Windows Central and Tom's Hardware): Manufacturers have been quietly removing the branding from their devices, including models that would still qualify, viewing the label as tarnished.

Skeptics and industry observers: The poor sales and messy rollout suggest consumers did not understand or value the Copilot+ proposition, and that the 40+ TOPS requirement alone was not enough to drive upgrades — a cautionary sign for the broader push to sell AI hardware in laptops.

What to Watch

Whether the Copilot+ name disappears entirely from Microsoft's retail pages and Windows 11 marketing in the coming months, or lingers on older product listings.
How Nvidia positions the RTX Spark N1X laptops launching in October — whether they lean on AI capabilities or more traditional performance metrics.
Whether any new branding emerges from Microsoft for on-device AI PCs, and whether PC makers adopt it or continue with their own messaging.

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