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  "description": "Can the main AI chip maker ensure Windows owns the 'AI PC'?",
  "path": "/nvidia-cpu-microsoft-surface-ai/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-29T20:48:14.000Z",
  "site": "https://spyglass.org",
  "tags": [
    "all-but left for dead",
    "was making them look silly too",
    "Like a CEO",
    "investment",
    "from the US government",
    "promises",
    "and Apple",
    "now a $600B company",
    "long",
    "to slight them",
    "Microsoft",
    "NVIDIA",
    "hints by Jensen Huang",
    "I wrote about this prospect back in February",
    "first leaked",
    "months of speculation",
    "its predecessor Switch 2",
    "trash can-worthy, some might say",
    "clearly",
    "the real question",
    "with Windows",
    "A tweet from Pavan Davuluri",
    "in a very different place",
    "quite literally",
    "the launch of Copilot+ PCs",
    "the initial and clearly key partner there was Qualcomm",
    "a series of privacy",
    "general AI missteps",
    "a very different NVIDIA",
    "As I wrote back in February",
    "ASUS, we see you!",
    "it is still Microsoft",
    "the new MacBook Neo",
    "in a way",
    "own the concept of an \"AI PC\"",
    "NVIDIA InsideCan the AI powerhouse become a consumer PC player?SpyglassM.G. Siegler",
    "Microsoft Kicks x86 to the CurbIn order to save Windows laptopsSpyglassM.G. Siegler",
    "Can NVIDIA Become Intel Faster Than Everyone Becomes NVIDIA?As money pours into AI, can NVIDIA stay ahead?SpyglassM.G. Siegler",
    "NVIDIA is a shareholder now too"
  ],
  "textContent": "Have you heard? Intel is back, baby. A year ago, the peddlers of Pentium were all-but left for dead having missed not just the mobile revolution, but the AI one as well. Intel was an $85B company, while NVIDIA, long their GPU-focused little brother, was about _40x their size_ in terms of market cap – by far the most valuable company in the world thanks to that AI boom. Worse, Intel's _actual_ main rival, AMD, was making them look silly too. But a lot can change in a year. Like a CEO. And a ~~bail-out~~ investment from the US government. And the promises of new partnerships with Tesla and Apple...\n\nAnyway, suddenly Intel is back at all-time highs – now a $600B company! And right on cue, Microsoft, long Intel's most-important partner, keeps finding new and interesting ways to slight them. This time with, who else? NVIDIA.\n\nThe writing may not yet be on the wall, but it's all over Xitter. Both Microsoft and NVIDIA are teasing a big announcement – \"A new era of PC.\" – with the exact same cryptic language (technically, coordinates of Taipei, where Computex kicks off next week). And this follows hints by Jensen Huang of a \"surprising new product\" set to be announced. It seems fairly obvious at this point that it's NVIDIA's new CPU – but not the data center/AI variety. The one meant for general-purpose PCs.\n\nI wrote about this prospect back in February when the news of the initiative first leaked after months of speculation about 'N1' and 'N1X' chips. NVIDIA, of course, has been making general-purpose CPUs for years – most notably for the Nintendo Switch and its predecessor Switch 2. But also most infamously for the Surface RT. Yes, Microsoft's first attempt at an ARM-based PC, which was a disaster from the get-go – trash can-worthy, some might say. Well, this sure looks to be a do-over of that project.\n\nIf/when NVIDIA announces their new CPU – and full SoC – next week, Microsoft is clearly going to be a key partner. But the real question is if we might get a new _device_ alongside a partnership with Windows. A tweet from Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's EVP of Windows + Devices would sure seem to suggest as much – perhaps to be unveiled during Microsoft's own Build keynote, which kicks off _the day after_ Computex. It could very well be a new stab at the Surface RT! They obviously won't call it that, but it might be the same general idea.1 But perhaps this time powered by an NVIDIA in a very different place.\n\nAnd again, Intel in a very different place too! After the RT debacle, Microsoft had to retreat back to the (quite literally) warm embrace of x86 for a while. But they kept the dream of Windows ARM alive undoubtedly because of the rise of not just the iPad, but Apple Silicon in general. That culminated in the launch of Copilot+ PCs a couple years back. While Intel was technically along for that ride, the initial and clearly key partner there was Qualcomm, providing the ARM-based chips.\n\nWhile not as big of a bellyflop as the Surface RT, clearly the Copilot+ PC movement hasn't lit the world on fire either. That was in part Microsoft's own fault as a series of privacy and just general AI missteps stopped the latest PC revolution yet again.\n\nSo now it sure seems like Microsoft is trying yet again. With NVIDIA yet again.\n\nAnd again, this is a very different world with a very different NVIDIA. This move actually may make quite a bit of sense given NVIDIA's status in AI if nothing else. Sure, their CPUs are unproven for such purposes, but if the focal point will be AI-native devices, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better partner. Certainly from a marketing-perspective! Which, I suspect, we're going to get hit over the head with next week. As I wrote back in February:\n\n> It's that full NVIDIA SoC that Dell, Lenovo, and others seem to be circling. Undoubtedly in part to play up the NVIDIA angle, hoping to get some halo effect for PC sales. You could see the angle being something like \"forget about Intel and AMD, NVIDIA, the company building the future of AI, is here with PC chips\". Yes, they'd be touting \"NVIDIA Inside\".\n\nWhile Microsoft clearly isn't the only partner for NVIDIA's would-be new CPUs – ASUS, we see you! – they're also undoubtedly meant to be the flagship partner. This might be both Surface RT done right and Copilot+ PCs done right – but with newer branding. But probably not _better_ branding. I mean, it is still Microsoft, right?\n\nAnyway, it seems like a smart potential play from all sides. Certainly in the face of the new MacBook Neo currently assaulting the PC market in a way Apple never has before. And now with Google set to release \"Googlebooks\" to try to own the concept of an \"AI PC\" themselves.\n\nThis makes sense for basically everyone but Intel.2 Reinvigorated, but perhaps on the outside looking in here yet again...3 'Surface AI', anyone?\n\n👇\n\n****Previously, on**** _****Spyglass****_****...****\n\nNVIDIA InsideCan the AI powerhouse become a consumer PC player?SpyglassM.G. SieglerMicrosoft Kicks x86 to the CurbIn order to save Windows laptopsSpyglassM.G. SieglerCan NVIDIA Become Intel Faster Than Everyone Becomes NVIDIA?As money pours into AI, can NVIDIA stay ahead?SpyglassM.G. Siegler\n\n* * *\n\n1 \"Something new is coming for developers\" is interesting framing. Might it suggest that Microsoft is aiming for new hardware that is solely (or mainly) focused on AI development? Maybe my 'Surface AI' branding isn't far off! ↩\n\n2 This move by NVIDIA into CPUs could even help Qualcomm by helping to legitimize the ARM-based market for PCs... ↩\n\n3 Though it should be noted that they're _also partnering with NVIDIA_ now on perhaps other SoCs. After all, NVIDIA is a shareholder now too! ↩",
  "title": "Microsoft Seeks a Surface RT & Copilot+ PC Do-Over with NVIDIA",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-30T14:59:13.634Z"
}