WW 941: K... and Q - The AI factor in those Microsoft layoffs

Jul 16, 2025

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Microsoft just made a major change to the Windows 11 install media, and you're not going to believe what happens next! Plus, the AI spelling and grammar checking app/service that Paul relies on. And yes, he does pay for it.

Windows 11

Copilot Vision gets full Desktop support, Voice integration across all Insider channels
Click to Do gets a "Describe image" action, Administrator protection, App permission dialog changes in Dev (25H2) and Beta (24H2)
Canary finally gets the features everyone else has had for a while now
Also, Microsoft quietly killed the simplified date/time in the Windows 11 Taskbar because no one liked it
PC sales grew 5 percent in Q2 but there is a BIG caveat
Semi-related: Google is "combining" ChromeOS and Android
ChromeOS will build on Android going forward, smart
Even less related: HMD quietly pulls Nokia out of the U.S. market, the dream is over

Microsoft 365, AI

Microsoft layoffs directly attributed to AI
Microsoft scuttled OpenAI's acquisition of Windsurf and all hell broke loose
Google snapped up key execs and engineers and licensed Windsurf for $2.4 billion
All's well that ends well: Cognition acquires Windsurf
Microsoft keeps changing the terms of the deal: Microsoft 365 apps will be updated on Windows 10 only through August 2026
Microsoft 365 Copilot is finally getting a Memory
OpenAI is going to war with Microsoft and the world
It's working on a web browser
It's also working on an office productivity suite of sorts
Google NotebookLM gets curated featured notebooks. This is emerging as one of the more useful AI tools

Xbox and Gaming

Xbox app for Windows 11 gets "Stream your own game" functionality
Grounded 2, more coming to Game Pass in second half of July
Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to the Mac for some reason

Tips & Picks

Tip of the week: Save big on PCs, go refurbished
App pick of the week: LanguageTool for Desktop
RunAs Radio this week: Fabric in 2025 with Arun Ulag
Brown liquor pick of the week: Slane Triple Casked Blend

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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