Microsoft unveils Project Solara, an Android-based platform for agent-first devices, with concept hardware and pilots planned at Best Buy, Target, and others
[Editor's Note: Agents of Transformation is an independent GeekWire series, underwritten by Accenture, exploring the adoption and impact of AI and agents.
GeekWire Todd Bishop
Related Coverage
- Composing a new platform for agent-first devices Command Line · Steven Bathiche
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- Microsoft's AI agent OS: Project Solara. The Verge · Richard Lawler
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- Microsoft's Big New Idea for AI Gadgets Is a Badge With a Camera Gizmodo · James Pero
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- Build 2026: Microsoft Project Solara Envisions a Future of Agent-First Devices Thurrott · Paul Thurrott
- Meet Project Solara: Microsoft's Effort to Push AI Agents Into Smart Devices PCMag · Michael Kan
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- Microsoft's Project Solara is an Android OS designed for agents instead of apps Ars Technica · Ryan Whitwam
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Discussion
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@tomwarren
Tom Warren
on x
will be interesting to see where Microsoft goes with Project Solara. It has tried and failed to build platforms for many devices in the past - Band, Cortana devices, Windows Phone, the list goes on. This time it's using a version of Android, anticipating future AI agent hardware …
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@tomwarren
Tom Warren
on x
Microsoft's Project Solara is an OS for AI agent gadgets. The company showed off two devices at Build: a desk concept and a badge concept. Details 👇 https://www.theverge.com/...
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@donasarkar
Dona Sarkar
on x
I actually like this badgey thing. This can be SUPER useful for retail popups and a whole bunch of stuff in the service industry like bars, restaurants etc. #MSBuild [image]
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@film_girl
Christina Warren
on x
Best Buy, CVS, Target and others are already exploring ideas with Project Solara! Now we're rolling a Qualcomm video in the device lab showing off some of the reference designs
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@cristianoamon
Cristiano R. Amon
on x
We're shifting from apps and operating systems to agents, and that changes the device experience end to end. Great conversation with @satyanadella on what comes next. Watch our discussion from #MSBuild. Read the OnQ blog post for more. https://www.qualcomm.com/... [video]
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@markhachman
Mark Hachman
on x
Project Solara by Microsoft appears to be Microsoft's entry into smart devices, one for the desk, powered by Mediatek and Qualcomm. “Think of it as a secure ambient device for work.”
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@film_girl
Christina Warren
on x
The first device for Project Solara is a desk device concept, powered by a MediaTek SoC that can basically be an ambient always-on, always-available device that can handle your agents for you.
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@mweinbach
Max Weinbach
on x
Microsoft Project Solara seems really cool. Platform to build unified agents on any hardware type [image]
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@film_girl
Christina Warren
on x
Project Solara is about 3 things: * Being enterprise ready * JIT UI that adapts to the form factor * Extstensible so you can bring your own agent But enough of that, onto the devices!
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@film_girl
Christina Warren
on x
Steve is on stage talking about Project Solara and he's asking “what's the form factor?” what will the form factors be of the computer. “The next computer isn't one device, it's all devices working together as one system.”
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@microsoft
@microsoft
on x
Introducing Project Solara, a new platform built from the ground up to power agent-driven experiences, including two new concept devices that reimagine how this comes to life. Together, these updates simplify how you set up, build, and run across environments, bringing everything…
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@microsoft
@microsoft
on x
What changes when agents become both a new unit of programming and an emerging new unit of human-to-machine interaction? The mission of Project Solara, a new software platform coupled with tailored hardware solutions, is to pioneer agent-first experiences that are shaped around […
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@mweinbach
Max Weinbach
on x
I like Solara because I wrote this a few months ago that dedicated devices don't make sense, use what we have and have the agents adapt to you and what you want to use/use already [image]