A recently leaked video has shed light on Microsoft’s ambitious exploration of a dedicated AI operating system, codenamed Aion. This innovative project, which integrates Microsoft Edge and a new lightweight Windows codebase known as Win3, places the AI assistant Copilot at the forefront of the user experience.
Overview of Aion’s Features
The three-minute video, first shared on the Discord server BetaWiki, appears to showcase early working code, presenting a fresh desktop user interface. This interface features a familiar Taskbar at the bottom, alongside a Start menu-like experience powered by Copilot.
- The Taskbar introduces an intriguing feature called “Spaces,” which automatically organizes applications and websites into easily accessible groups. Users can return to these spaces later with a simple click.
- These spaces are also integrated into the Start menu, allowing for quick access to multiple applications simultaneously.
Aion is designed with a web-centric approach, meaning it does not support native Windows applications. Instead, it exclusively runs web apps and websites, leveraging Windows 365 to connect to a Cloud PC for users needing access to traditional desktop applications.
Interestingly, the video hints at a version of Aion that operates atop Windows 11, suggesting it could support native Windows applications. However, the version depicted in the video is based on the Win3 codebase, which is a streamlined iteration of Windows that sacrifices legacy Win32 app support for enhanced speed, improved battery life, and heightened security.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Sources indicate that this video is relatively old, recorded sometime in 2024. The nature of Aion remains somewhat ambiguous; it appears to have been an experimental initiative aimed at reimagining desktop user experiences through the lens of agentic AI. Whether Microsoft plans to bring Aion to market is still uncertain.
Nonetheless, it would be surprising if insights gained from the Aion project do not influence the current iteration of Windows. While the likelihood of Aion being released as shown in the video seems slim, elements of agentic OS capabilities are already being integrated into Windows 11.
Additionally, Microsoft has recently introduced Project Solara, which offers an agentic OS experience that adapts its user interface in real-time based on user requests. This project operates on both AOSP and Windows, drawing parallels to Aion. It raises the question: has Aion evolved into Solara?
This glimpse into Aion provides a captivating perspective on how one team envisioned the future of desktop computing, with Copilot at the core of the experience. Given the mixed reception of Copilot in recent years, it is plausible that Microsoft is reevaluating many aspects of this initiative.
Windows Central has reached out to Microsoft for comment and will provide updates if a response is received.
