Windows Weekly with Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Leo Laporte

Nov 26th 2025

Windows Weekly 960

Snow & Claus

Hosted by Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell

Windows 11 & Agentic AI

Records live every Wednesday at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00am Pacific / 19:00 UTC.
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Category: News

Pavan Davuluri only spoke at one Ignite 2025 session, and it did not deserve the hate he got. But what did he really say?

  • Copilot is a front-end for apps and cloud AI services, agents are background processes.
  • Apps in Windows need to become programmatic so AI and agents can control them.
  • You are in control. You being IT and the user. These experiences are off by default, opt-in, and optional. This is the end of whatever BS argument anyone has about this stuff.
  • Copilot Voice because AI is better when you babble and is often more natural than typing
    • Key concept: Apps, CLIs, etc. expect exact commands, AI is all about intent, just do what I want, not exactly what I say. This is why, yes, people WILL want to talk to their PCs (and other devices)
  • UIs for these new features will look/feel natural in Windows
    • Search box in Taskbar is getting updated to orchestrate between local/web search and Copilot capabilities, including agents
    • Agents will appear as app icons in Taskbar when fired, can be check in on, can post notifications for you to attend to
    • Integration of M365 Copilot capabilities with Windows - Better together story, with things like Writing Assistance for every text box
    • Accessibility updates thanks to AI - Fluid Dictation, which is what makes Copilot Voice make so much sense
  • All the security, privacy, and IT management the audience expects

Windows Insider Program

  • Dev and Beta builds include Full Screen Experience on all PCs, new Notepad app, more

Hardware - Earnings

  • Lenovo PC business up 12 percent to $15.1 billion, 25.6 percent unit share
  • HP up 4 percent to $14.6 billion, but job cuts for AI are coming
  • Dell PC business up 3 percent to $1.41 billion

AI and Stuff

  • Microsoft releases local Fara-7B agentic model for computer use
  • ChatGPT’s new coding model is optimized for Windows
  • Dear God, you must see Nano Banana Pro to understand Google’s lead
  • Google is bringing AirDrop to Android, starting with Pixel. This is what happens when regulators “force design changes on OS makers.”

Xbox and Gaming

  • Xbox Cloud Gaming usage is up 45 percent YOY. Sure. What’s 45 percent of 3 people?
  • Xbox Cloud Gaming is adding per-game resolution settings, to 1440p for Game Pass Ultimate customers
  • ROG Xbox Ally is getting default game profiles, in preview for 40 titles now
  • Microsoft open sources the source code for Zork, Zork II, and Zork III
  • New Chromebook buyers get one year of Nvidia GeForce NOW with Fast Pass

Tips and Picks

  • Tip of the week: Finding experts is more important than ever
  • We live in the age of stupid. Find the smart and never let go
  • Also, Xbox is having a good Black Friday sale
  • App pick of the week: Copilot Mode in Microsoft Edge
  • Also: Perplexity Comet on Android

RunAs Radio this week: Christmas Gifts for SysAdmins with Joey Snow and Rick Claus

  • https://runasradio.com/Shows/Show/1012

Brown liquor pick of the week: Sidetrack Stone Whisky

  • https://www.huskdistillers.com/shop/sidetrack-stone-whisky

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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