No Start Menu, Only AI: How Radically Microsoft Wanted to Reinvent Windows
Under the codename 'Project Aion,' Microsoft has developed an agentic alternative to Windows 11, but signs indicate that this 'Copilot OS' will not be released anytime soon.
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Under the codename "Project Aion," Microsoft has apparently developed an agentic alternative to Windows 11. However, there are several signs that this "Copilot OS" will not be released anytime soon.
From Noëlle Bölling
In October 2021, Microsoft introduced Windows 11. However, the new version of the operating system did not sit well with many users — partly due to the numerous new AI features. As Windows Latest now reports based on a leaked video, the company has apparently been working on an alternative under the codename "Project Aion" since at least 2024. The video shows an AI-powered operating system based on Microsoft Edge, which replaces the traditional start menu with a Copilot launcher. However, it seems that Microsoft has abandoned the project.
These Were Microsoft's Plans for Copilot OS
The video shows how Copilot OS, described as an "agentic" operating system, replaces the classic start menu with AI. At startup, there are no traditional desktop icons. Instead, a Copilot button opens the namesake launcher. This greets users by name and displays a dashboard with three dynamic widgets — in the shown example, these include "Create Something New" and "News of the Day." The "My Content" area mainly contains web apps like Microsoft Edge, Teams, and Word. Through the text field "Ask Me Anything," users can initiate agentic tasks or directly access websites in the Edge browser.
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The system does not organize content by app categories but by user goals. For example, if you search for restaurants, the Copilot launcher transforms into a floating chat window and lists the results directly without redirecting to a browser. For parallel tasks, Copilot OS opens separate chat windows side by side. Additionally, the system supports interactive plug-ins and generates UI elements directly in the chat. For instance, if you request to send a summary via email, an interactive email control appears. This drafts the message based on the workspace context without needing to open a separate email client.
Has Microsoft Abandoned the Plans?
As early as 2023, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hinted that Copilot could replace the classic start button in the future, as mentioned in an interview with Wired. "Project Aion" seems to have been designed precisely on this principle. However, according to Windows Latest, everything indicates that the AI operating system will not be released. One possible reason could be the ongoing skepticism of many users regarding extensive AI integrations in Windows.
The fact that users are cautious about Microsoft's innovations is also shown by the continued success of Windows 10: According to Statcounter, over 28 percent of all Windows PCs still run the predecessor system, even though technical support has already been discontinued. In March, Microsoft announced a series of improvements for Windows 11, which foresee a reduction in Copilot integrations. The goal is to focus on AI experiences that are "truly useful."
