Microsoft's mini AI PCs are on the horizon, and they're set to revolutionize desktop computing. Since the introduction of Arm-based Copilot Plus laptops in June, there have been whispers about when we might see these features on desktop PCs. Now, it's clear that we're about to witness a new era of mini PCs that deliver the AI performance required for features like Recall, Click To Do, and AI-powered image generation and editing in Windows 11.

Asus has become the first PC manufacturer to announce a mini PC that's Copilot Plus capable, revealing the full specs of its upcoming NUC 14 Pro AI last month ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025. The mini PC even features a Copilot button on the front and is almost identical in size to Apple's latest Mac Mini. This move is significant, as it suggests that Microsoft has been working closely with Asus to integrate Copilot Plus features into the device.

Asus isn't the only company making waves in the mini PC market. Taiwanese company Geekom has also announced three new mini PCs that it will showcase at CES 2025, including one with AMD's Strix Point CPUs and another with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor. Both of these models will be Copilot Plus compatible, while the third model, powered by Intel's unannounced Arrow Lake-H laptop processors, is unlikely to have an NPU sufficient enough to support Copilot Plus features.

The timing of these announcements is crucial, as CES 2025 is expected to be a launch point for Microsoft's latest laptop or tablet initiatives. Last year, the company convinced OEMs to put a Copilot key on their laptop keyboards, so it's likely that we'll see more PC makers announcing Copilot Plus mini PCs in the coming weeks. Geekom's mention of Qualcomm chips inside its mini PC also means we'll start to see Qualcomm's latest chips venture beyond laptops for the first time.

While Copilot Plus features remain limited to Windows PCs, there are rumors that Microsoft is keen to get Copilot on devices beyond just PCs, phones, and tablets. Windows chief Pavan Davuluri has hinted at the company's ambitions for dedicated AI hardware, stating that the power of modern AI models "will free up the ability to innovate in hardware and come out with purpose-built hardware."

Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft, has also dropped hints about the company's plans for wearable health-related devices, describing them as "a big opportunity" for the future. Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has hired multiple former colleagues to help run a new AI health unit, which could potentially partner with device manufacturers to offer AI-powered health services.

As we look to the future, it's clear that 2025 won't see Microsoft slow down with its ambition to get Copilot on all the screens we look at every day. With the rise of mini AI PCs, we can expect to see more innovative devices that integrate AI capabilities in new and exciting ways. Stay tuned for more updates from CES 2025, where we'll likely see more OEMs announcing Copilot Plus mini PCs and other AI-powered devices.