Review: Windows 11 version 23H2 marks the start of an AI future

[Windows Central]

Our Windows 11 version 23H2 review is here. This update focuses on quality of life improvements, modernizes more legacy elements of the OS, and even introduces a new Windows AI assistant.

Review: Windows 11 version 23H2 marks the start of an AI future : Read more

 

[GraniteStateColin]

Zac, great update. Thanks!

One big question though:

For me, the biggest remaining downside in the Windows 11 Start experience has been the lack of Jump Lists for pinned apps. Ironically, they do support Jump Lists in Start for non-pinned apps, which seems to miss the point of pinning and Jump lists as both being accelerators to get into frequently used apps and documents and therefore working hand-in-hand. I don't even see the point of Jump lists for non-pinned apps (other than UI consistency IF they were available for pinned apps).

Have they restored Jump lists for pinned apps on the Start Menu in the 23H2 update?

 

[Iamdumbguy]

The future of Windows: all web garbage, all the time, everywhere.

 

[CosmicTourist]

My biggest worry is that integrating all this AI logic into everything that EVERY app uses will become a serious CPU/GPU resource hog that will result in sub-standard performance for all the devices we now use just fine, thank you!
Has anyone noticed that some browsers are now using more memory and more CPU time than before? That seems to be the case on my machines and I am NOT happy.

 

[Mapplesoft]

You know what I miss? Windows 8.1 with full-screen Bing Smart Search. What a concept. That was one of the pieces of Windows 8.1 that they absolutely nailed. If they enhance copilot to be as immersive and beautiful, not to mention helpful, then this could become a very exciting and innovative part of Windows 11, with future enhancements possible for Windows 12. I look forward to what is to come.

 

[Arun Topez]

I dunno man, the fact they needed a whole year to deploy these basic features/redesigns is pretty underwhelming. There's so much feedback in the Feedback Hub for simple features they could have easily added, but as usual nope. Really hope they have some surprise announcements. I'm keeping my expectations low for their fall event. Hopefully Windows 12 and the next wave of Surface devices will be more innovative and exciting than this.

 

[Daniel Rubino]

My biggest worry is that integrating all this AI logic into everything that EVERY app uses will become a serious CPU/GPU resource hog that will result in sub-standard performance for all the devices we now use just fine, thank you!

This is why AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm are bringing in NPUs (neural processing units) to all chips as we advance, as they are 30+% more efficient and much faster than CPU and/or GPU. When the NPU is active, your CPU/GPU won't be pinged for processing.

Currently, "AI" in Windows 11 is all cloud-based, so there should be no hit on your CPU since it's not processing an LLM.

It remains to be seen if Windows 12, which is even more AI-focused (reportedly), with localized LLMs, will require NPUs, but by the time it ships, all new PCs will have one effectively solving the problem.

 

[The Werewolf]

Microsoft has a LONG track record of jumping on whatever bandwagon is put in front of it then killing it off after a while:

Post iPod music players? Zune. Dead.
Post iPhone phones? Windows Phone phones. Dead.
Fitness trackers? Microsoft Band. Dead.
XR? Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens. Dead and mostly dead.
3D? Windows 3D Builder, 3D Paint, integrated 3D printing etc. Not dead yet but being abandoned quickly.
Voice assistants? Cortana. Dead.
Keyboards and mice? Dead.
Integrated utilities (a la macOS)? WordPad. Dead. Paint. They keep TRYING to kill it.
Cross-platform IDE? Visual Studio for Mac. Dead.
.Net? Tried to kill it with Windows 8, but failed.
WPF/Forms? Tried to kill it with Windows 8 and still trying.
Touch/tablets are the future? Win 8. Dead. Win 11 sort of, but badly and will probably be dead soon.
Web everything? Have you tried Teams? Should be dead.

ChatGPT systems aren't AI. They're advanced word predictors. They're the current hot topic and so of course everyone is rushing to jump on that bandwagon.

When enough people realize that it's more of a problem than the problem it was supposed to "solve," we'll move into the next shiny tech thing and Microsoft will kill it off.

 

[Iamdumbguy]

Microsoft has a LONG track record of jumping on whatever bandwagon is put in front of it then killing it off after a while:

Post iPod music players? Zune. Dead.
Post iPhone phones? Windows Phone phones. Dead.
Fitness trackers? Microsoft Band. Dead.
XR? Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens. Dead and mostly dead.
3D? Windows 3D Builder, 3D Paint, integrated 3D printing etc. Not dead yet but being abandoned quickly.
Voice assistants? Cortana. Dead.
Keyboards and mice? Dead.
Integrated utilities (a la macOS)? WordPad. Dead. Paint. They keep TRYING to kill it.
Cross-platform IDE? Visual Studio for Mac. Dead.
.Net? Tried to kill it with Windows 8, but failed.
WPF/Forms? Tried to kill it with Windows 8 and still trying.
Touch/tablets are the future? Win 8. Dead. Win 11 sort of, but badly and will probably be dead soon.
Web everything? Have you tried Teams? Should be dead.

ChatGPT systems aren't AI. They're advanced word predictors. They're the current hot topic and so of course everyone is rushing to jump on that bandwagon.

When enough people realize that it's more of a problem than the problem it was supposed to "solve," we'll move into the next shiny tech thing and Microsoft will kill it off.

Lifting you up to the rafters. Microsoft is a TERRIBLE platform steward. There is not even a modern viable Windows desktop UI framework. They keep pretending to try by re-releasing barely-changed XAML frameworks, yet they refuse to use these frameworks themselves.

 

[fjtorres5591]

Memo to MS: ERROR CODES are last century. If copilot translates them go natural language it might hang around longer than Cortana.