Microsoft: Windows as AI Agent Platform
Source: pymnts.com
Microsoft is transforming Windows into an agentic AI platform, which the company considers one of the operating system’s biggest shifts. Microsoft intends to build the foundation for the agentic web. CEO Satya Nadella said the internet’s systems must be reconfigured for AI agents. He added that generative AI is currently in the middle stages of a platform shift. According to Nadella, Microsoft will be building out the open agentic web at scale.
Agentic Web
Microsoft is embedding Model Context Protocol (MCP) into Windows. MCP, which was developed by Anthropic, lets agents interact with computers. Microsoft intends to work with Anthropic to resolve enterprise problems related to MCP. AI agents can use MCP to install software, access files, adjust system settings, and interact with apps, subject to user approval.
According to PYMNTS Intelligence, MCP serves as a common language for AI models and improves outcomes compared to manual efforts.
Additional Tools
Foundry Local, a new Microsoft tool, enables PCs to run AI features without an internet connection, enabling apps and assistants to operate directly on the device for quicker responses and increased privacy. Foundry Local is integrated into Windows and is compatible with new AI-powered PCs.
Copilot Tuning, another new feature, enables companies to customize AI agents using their own data and workflows, training models to reflect a company’s style and knowledge. Microsoft also announced NLWeb, which turns websites into agentic websites, enabling AI agents to understand and act on web content. Microsoft is collaborating with companies such as Tripadvisor to implement NLWeb.