ASUS didn’t set out to make a statement about Microsoft’s AI PC strategy, but the new Zenbook A16 ends up doing exactly that. It’s a clean, focused laptop with strong hardware, a clear purpose, and none of the branding noise that has followed Copilot+ PCs.

Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to push a label that few consumers understand and even fewer need. The contrast is becoming impossible to ignore, especially as Surface devices struggle to find the same clarity. The Zenbook A16 is more than a good laptop — it’s a reminder of what the AI PC category actually needs.

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Microsoft's obsession with Copilot

Microsoft's obsession with Copilot isn't limited to stickers on a palm rest or Copilot+ PC logos on a thumbnail. The company has pushed 80 different products with Copilot in the name.

Last year, when Microsoft hit its monumental 50th anniversary, the celebratory event was officially a Copilot event. Five decades of groundbreaking products and software, and Microsoft chose to use its 50th anniversary as a marketing ploy for Copilot.

Microsoft seems desperate to make the Copilot name stick, and at this point, it's almost sad.

If Microsoft gets up on stage to announce new Surface devices this spring and spends 20+ minutes talking about how they're Copilot+ PCs, people's eyes will glaze over, and Microsoft will have wasted precious time.

Copilot+ PC vs. AI PC

I'm not against the concept of an AI PC, though I think it will be a long time before the majority of general users value having one. I think it's great that so many PCs are capable of running AI locally. The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is an exciting addition to the PC landscape, and a growing number of apps can leverage that specialized processor.

It's the Copilot+ PC brand that I think is meaningless to most people in 2026. It feels like Microsoft tried to force a branded term, "Copilot+ PC," instead of leaning into a more logical title like "AI PC."

In 2024, we needed the "Copilot+ PC" label to explain why we were buying Windows on Arm. In 2026, the X2 Elite Extreme has 80 TOPS and 18 cores. People are buying the Zenbook because it beats the MacBook Air M5 in multi-core, not because of a sticker.

Microsoft has had to go to great lengths to explain the differences between Copilot+ PCs and AI PCs. Our own Cale Hunt analyzed the "beginner" explanation of those terms shared by Microsoft.

It's not like the best AI PCs are all Copilot+ PCs anyway. The Dell XPS 16 (2025), which was known as the Dell 16 Premium until last month, is not listed as a Copilot+ PC.

To be completely honest, I don't even know for sure that the XPS 16 (2025) is not a Copilot+ PC. It has an NPU with 47 TOPS, and its listing mentions Copilot, but the Copilot+ PC logo is absent, and the term does not appear on the page.

In contrast, the New Dell XPS (2026) shows the Copilot+ PC logo on its thumbnail and specifically mentions that it's a Copilot+ PC in its tech specs.

This just further proves my point that the Copilot+ PC brand lacks substance.

In defense of AI PCs

Microsoft can, and should, continue to innovate in the AI space and create Surface hardware capable of running AI features locally. As I mentioned briefly earlier, there are a growing number of apps that leverage NPUs, including Adobe Photoshop and Capcut.

NPU usage will likely grow over time as developers fully adopt the hardware.

There are also several Microsoft and Windows features that are NPU-driven:

• Click‑to‑Do (Contextual Actions)
• Semantic Windows Search
• Windows Studio Effects (Camera & Mic AI)
• Photos App: AI Relighting & Smart Editing
• Local Language Models (Phi Silica)
• AI OCR (On‑Device Text Recognition)
• On‑Device Image Generation / Enhancement

But "Copilot+ PC" needs to be placed in the Recycle Bin. I doubt Microsoft will do this, but the failure of the Copilot brand will hold back genuinely useful AI features and AI laptops. And the confusing nature of "what is a Copilot+ PC" will continue to cause more confusion than it will drive sales.

For our audience: Is Copilot+ PC branding helping or hurting Microsoft’s AI PC strategy? Let us know in the comments!

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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.