Satya Nadella's annual developer conference. AI agents, Copilot, Azure, Windows.
Microsoft announced Windows 11 optimizations at Build 2026, adding native Linux command-line tools, WSL containers, an Intelligent Terminal, and simpler setups. It also released MAI-Thinking-1, a 35-billion-parameter reasoning model, among seven new in-house AI models focused on agents.
Microsoft opens Build 2026 with a sweeping slate of agent-focused announcements, including an in-house reasoning model, agent hardware, and Windows-native AI capabilities. The moves signal Redmond’s intent to own the infrastructure where autonomous AI workers operate.
Microsoft announced MAI-Thinking-1 as its new flagship model at Build 2026 among several proprietary systems developed in-house. The releases mark continued progress toward independent AI development following last year’s initial models and a recent renegotiation with OpenAI intended to loosen ties.
Microsoft announced optimizations to Windows 11 for developers at Build, including native Linux command-line utilities, WSL containers, an Intelligent Terminal, and simplified setup configurations. The updates deepen Linux integration to improve performance, reliability, and workflow consistency across environments.
