Windows 11 will get a local AI assistant: works without the internet

Microsoft has introduced a new local AI model called Mu, designed specifically for Windows 11. Its main advantage is that it operates without an internet connection. The new model is already available to participants in the Windows Insider program (Dev channel) and will be included in future Copilot+ PC devices.

What is Mu?
Mu is a language model with 330 million parameters, specially developed for neural processing units (NPUs) like Qualcomm Hexagon. It:

• Processes over 100 tokens per second;

• Responds to queries with less than 500 ms latency;

• Uses 4.7 times less decoding time compared to similar solutions;

• Achieves 93.4% accuracy in code generation — nearly matching Phi-3.5-mini but is 10 times more compact.

Model features:

• Architecture: encoder-decoder with single-pass input encoding;

• Technologies: Dual LayerNorm, RoPE, grouped-query attention;

• Optimization: runs fast and efficiently on NPUs, reducing CPU and GPU load;

• Training: based on 3.6 million examples focusing on commands for configuring Windows 11.

How does it work in Windows 11?
Mu is integrated into the settings management system: users can enter commands in natural language (for example, “Make the screen brighter”), and the system immediately executes the action. If the request is too abstract, Windows will suggest a system search; if it’s specific, it will provide the result.

Why is this important?

• No internet required: everything works locally, including the AI assistant;

• High speed and accuracy;

• Data security and privacy;

• AI support even on compact devices with limited resources.