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Microsoft’s New On-Device AI ‘Mu’ Is Here: 5 Things You Might Have Missed

Microsoft Mu

Microsoft has quietly introduced Mu, a lightweight on-device AI model built for Copilot+ PCs. While most of the buzz around Copilot+ features has focused on flashy demos and cloud-based tools, Mu is a different kind of upgrade, one that works behind the scenes, right on your machine. In this story, I have compiled five features that you might have missed on the internet. So, without wasting any more time, lets get started: 

1. Mu Works Entirely On Your Device 

Unlike traditional AI assistants, Mu doesn’t rely on the cloud. It runs locally using your PC’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU). This means you get fast responses even without an internet connection, and your data never leaves your device.

2. It’s Tiny but Fast 

With just 330 million parameters, Mu is far smaller than models like GPT-4 or Gemini, but it doesn’t slow down. On optimized devices like the Surface Laptop 7, it can generate over 200 tokens per second, offering near-instant replies.

3. You Can Use Plain English to Change System Settings 

microsoft mu

Mu is integrated directly into the Windows Settings app. You can type things like “increase font size” or “turn on dark mode,” and it’ll take you straight to the right option, no digging through menus. 

4. Tuned for AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm 

According to the company, they have worked closely with all major chipmakers to make sure that Mu runs well across devices. Whether you’re on AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm hardware, your PC gets a custom-optimized version of Mu for better performance and battery use.

5. It’s Free and Already Available for Insiders

If you’re part of the Windows Insider program and have a Copilot+ PC, you can try Mu today for completely free. Microsoft is expected to roll it out more broadly in the coming weeks. 

Mu may not grab as much attention as other Copilot+ features, but it’s shaping up to be a core part of how Windows handles local AI tasks. Interestingly, there’s an Indian startup that is building something similar. I recently had a chance to speak with Hrishikesh Dewan, founder and CEO of Ziroh Labs, where we discussed their new platform, Kompact AI. It’s a tool developed that enables the execution of powerful AI models on regular computers (CPUs) rather than expensive graphics cards (GPUs). 

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