Microsoft pivots to intimate Build 2026 in San Francisco amid AI overhaul
With in-person tickets sold out, Microsoft is streaming the event online while unveiling new AI models, a Copilot super app, and hardware powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark.
Microsoft has commenced its annual Build 2026 developer conference at Fort Mason in San Francisco, marking a significant logistical shift from its traditional home in Seattle. CEO Satya Nadella delivered the keynote address, outlining a strategic pivot to reconnect with the developer community amid shifting business priorities. The event is heavily focused on artificial intelligence, with anticipated announcements regarding new AI models, a Copilot 'super app', and a Windows 11 experience optimised specifically for developers.
The conference is positioned between Google I/O and Apple’s upcoming WWDC, with Microsoft aiming to balance scale with a more intimate, personalised experience for attendees. In-person tickets for the event are sold out, but it is being streamed online for free. Kyle Daigle, chief operating officer at GitHub, stated the goal is to balance scale with a personalised experience where attendee interaction is central to the content, noting that meeting with people is just as much a part of the actual conference content.
Microsoft is reshuffling its entire business around AI, a move that has coincided with reports that trust in Windows and GitHub is at an all-time low. Sources indicate that the company is seeking to win back developers by unveiling a new Windows 11 developer-optimised experience. This update is expected to feature a distraction-free environment with pre-installed apps, tools, and scripts, addressing long-standing requests from the developer community.
Anticipated announcements also include new AI models and a reasoning model from Microsoft AI. Reports suggest the presence of agentic OpenClaw-like tools, although specific details have not yet been fully disclosed. A key hardware highlight is the new Surface Laptop Ultra, powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark, which signals further developments in Windows on ARM and underscores the company’s commitment to hardware-software integration.
The Verge’s Tom Warren, who has covered the event since its days as the Professional Developers Conference, described the current moment as pivotal. As Microsoft continues its transformation, the move to a smaller venue in San Francisco reflects an attempt to capture the local AI buzz and foster closer engagement with the technical community that drives the platform’s ecosystem.
