FOR A WHILE, it looked as if there would never be a Win12. Win10 was supposed to be the last version of Windows—from then on it was slated to become a subscription service. Then we got Win11, with the twist that it was a free upgrade. Now, we have another version in the wings. If rumors are to be believed, Win12 is due as soon as June, with a new interface. There are worries that it’ll at least partly be a subscription service, or even have adverts (please no). Why the change of heart? AI. To get ChatGPT and other AI features embedded into the OS is a tough job for updates—it needs a fresh version. Comments from Acer’s chairman in a Taiwanese enterprise publication alluded to accompanying AI rigs, too—the guess here is that ‘AI PC’ systems will be able to run AI functions locally, rather than via the cloud. This is made possible by nextgeneration hardware such as Meteor Lake, which has on-board AI acceleration. AI was an interesting experiment when Win11 was coded—now it’s the next big thing, and Microsoft wants it front and center in Windows. Win12’s hardware requirements should make interesting reading—will it be a replacement for those Win11 machines?
–CL