Microsoft Build 2026: the 7 biggest announcements

Microsoft used Build 2026 to unveil a broad push across AI, Windows, and hardware, led by the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box for local AI development.

The company added new Windows developer tools, including Coreutils, WSL container support, and an Intelligent Terminal, to make workflows more capable and agent-friendly.

Microsoft also introduced Project Solara, an Android-based agent platform, and Scout, an always-on assistant for Microsoft 365.

On the model side, Microsoft announced seven new in-house AI models, including MAI-Thinking-1, plus safety tools for agents through Execution Containers and the OpenClaw companion app.

The event also featured Majorana 2, Microsoft’s latest quantum chip, underscoring its expanding long-term tech strategy.