Windows Weekly 978: "Pre-Peated – Copilot Is for Entertainment Purposes Only"

Release Date: April 8, 2026
Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, Leo Laporte

Overview

In episode 978 of Windows Weekly, Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Leo Laporte delve deep into the evolving world of Microsoft, focusing on key topics including the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 release, the revival and reorganization of the Windows engineering team, native Windows applications, Secure Boot updates, emergency Windows fixes, AMD’s new desktop processors, and the controversial Copilot “entertainment” disclaimer. The trio brings their characteristic candor and humor to both technical and cultural discussions, all while reflecting on Microsoft’s current identity and the shifting landscape of AI and infrastructure.

Major Discussion Points

1. Microsoft’s Windows 11 25H2 and Update Cycles

[06:08–08:50, 23:23–26:22]

• Upcoming Windows 11 25H2 discussed as more of a maintenance release than a revolution.
  • "You're being forced to upgrade to something that's pretty much identical under the covers." — Paul [24:06]
• Windows' annual cycle of 'forced' upgrades is misunderstood by the press and tech community; it's part of the normal lifecycle.
• The kernel and foundational bits stay the same, with little user impact unless you check version/build numbers.
• For users stuck on older versions (like 23H2), it's likely due to hardware or compatibility blocks.

Notable Quote:

“Nothing will change other than, if you somehow are so bizarre as to know build numbers... you could look at an about box and be like, wait a minute, Microsoft wants me to do a new version of Windows? It's like, yeah, one that is supported for longer than the one you're on and didn't change anything.”
— Paul Thurrott [24:07]

2. Windows Team Reorg and the Return of Windows Focus

[08:00–10:06, 41:30–43:36]

• Microsoft has “re-energized” engineering teams working on Windows, with core people like Marcus Ash and Jen Gentleman getting more visible and active in public/community spaces.
• Signals a return to customer/enthusiast engagement not seen since the days of Windows Insider “roadshows.”
• The Insider program is being revamped; Windows meetups announced in cities worldwide (New York, Hyderabad, Taipei, San Francisco, London).

Notable Quote:

“For the first time in ages, it feels like there's a group at Microsoft that wants to be working on Windows again.”
— Paul Thurrott [43:30]

3. “Native” Windows Apps and App Models Debate

[09:19–16:22]

• The phrase “native app” is questioned as “marketing more than meaning.”
• No “truly native” modern Windows app has been made in 30+ years; all are “a thing on a thing.”
• Richard summarizes: “It's turtles all the way down. And that's intentional.” [10:37]
• Most Windows users don’t care about the underlying tech—they care about responsiveness, reliability, and user experience.
• The real user-facing pain points (slow File Explorer, unresponsive interface) aren’t about abstract app purity, but actual performance and interruption.

Notable Quotes:

“You are here for me, not the other way around.”
— Richard Campbell [14:38]

“I don't think making native apps is going to solve any of these problems.”
— Leo Laporte [16:22]

4. Secure Boot Certificate Update

[31:26–35:52]

• April 2026 Patch Tuesday brings a security notification for Secure Boot certs (especially for hardware issued pre-2011).
• Users will see status in the Windows Security app (green/yellow/red shield icons).
• Most modern hardware is unaffected, updates flow automatically, but further escalation measures are expected for laggards.

Notable Quote:

“This year has been a lot of things, but in our space, one of the things is emergency fixes to Patch Tuesday updates.”
— Leo Laporte [36:06]

5. Ongoing Patch Tuesday Emergencies

[36:06–39:16]

• 2026 continues to set records for out-of-band (emergency) patches following faulty Patch Tuesday updates.
• The panel suspects internal process breakdowns at Microsoft and a trade-off between applying security patches quickly vs. risking regressions.

Notable Quote:

“On the admin side... the rate of exploit of a zero day is so very high that you're better off taking the patch and dealing with the possible consequences than you are not taking the patch. Except for the past three months.”
— Richard Campbell [37:40]

6. AMD Ryzen 99950X3D2 Launch

[56:57–57:48]

• AMD's flagship desktop CPU, the Ryzen 99950X3D2, is launching April 22 at $899—possibly their highest desktop CPU price to date.
• Designed for gamers and creators; features advanced cache stacking for increased performance.

7. Copilot: "For Entertainment Purposes Only"?

[57:48–62:52]

• Microsoft's Copilot Terms of Service still (as of October 2025 writing) includes the clause:
  "Copilot is for entertainment purposes only."
• The hosts roast this, reflecting that for years Microsoft marketed Copilot as a productivity tool. Microsoft claims it's “legacy language” from its Bing Chat days and will be updated.
• The Ts&Cs contain more caveats:
  • “Copilot tries but it can make mistakes.”
  • “You might see responses that seem convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate.”
  • “We make no guarantee or promise...”
  • In all caps: “WE DO NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND ABOUT COPILOT.”
• This led to a larger discussion on “AI as feature vs. product,” and Microsoft’s over-enthusiastic productization and branding.

Notable Quotes:

“Really? Because I have three years of memories of you pushing it for productivity.”
— Paul Thurrott [57:49]

“A lot of this is lawyeries. Microsoft is absolving itself of all blame. But that's cute. It's like you murder someone, you're like, well, I can't be held responsible. You saw the agreement that you never read that I gave you before I killed you.”
— Leo Laporte [62:52]

8. Microsoft’s Homegrown AI Model Push (MAI Suite)

[62:52–69:01]

• Microsoft is launching new first-party foundational models (MAI Transcribe 1, MAI Voice 1, MAI Image 2, etc.) aiming to lessen OpenAI reliance.
• Deployment is still slow—mostly integration into Copilot and Microsoft 365, but not yet clear if/when they’re available as general APIs.
• Efficient models may allow Microsoft to one day run AI services profitably at $20/month subscriptions, but cost concerns may be a limiting factor today.

Notable Quote:

“Are these things even businesses? ...Microsoft has a rich experience with the cost of OpenAI models in the cloud and what that means to them.”
— Leo Laporte [67:28]

9. Orchestration, Branding, and the Future of AI

[69:01–72:48]

• Projecting ahead, the hosts believe the “killer app” is an “AI orchestrator” that routes user intent/tasks to the right combination of small, specialized models.
• Branding everything as “Copilot” may hurt adoption, making users wary or confused (“AI” will be hidden tech again when it finally works).
• Many users don’t even realize their favorite “features” are AI-powered, yet marketing obsessions demand a name/badge.

Notable Quotes:

“If you call it artificial intelligence, it's because it doesn't work. Because the moment it does work, it gets a new name.”
— Richard Campbell [71:53]

10. Executive Turnover at Microsoft

[76:05–87:51]

• Julia Liuson, longtime head of Microsoft’s developer division (and first woman CVP at MSFT), is retiring.
  • Her tenure is deeply tied to Visual Studio’s success.
• Large-scale reorg: many senior leaders leaving, new outside hires (often with AI backgrounds) getting SVP/EVP jobs.
• Amanda Silver is now effectively the most senior dev tools exec; panel debates whether developer tools should be a standalone org.
• Eric Boyd, former President of Microsoft AI, has left for Anthropic, citing the startup’s “absolute leading models with a culture that is committed to their mission.”

11. AI Assistants & Agent-Based Development

[88:16–94:39]

• Anthropic brings its “computer use” features to Windows; AI assistants can now control the mouse, type, operate cross-device, etc.
• Developers are already operating in new ways—often interacting via phone, voice, and agents more than IDEs.
• The show demonstrates live dictation, discusses habit changes, and celebrates how far speech-to-text (“Whisper”) has come.

12. Google AI & Consumer Platform Upgrades

[95:48–100:51]

• Google assures users Gemini won’t use Gmail contents for AI training.
• Storage for Google One users with AI Pro goes up to 5TB at $20/month, surpassing Microsoft 365’s 1TB offering.
• The panel jokes about cloud providers always “needing” a reason to peer at your data.

13. Xbox & Gaming Updates

[105:03–111:32]

• Xbox achievements system gets a visual overhaul and the ability to hide games.
• Several major new Game Pass additions for April: Modern Warfare reboot (MW2019), Oblivion Remaster, Hades 2, Football Manager 26, Final Fantasy 4, and more.
• Forza Horizon 6 announced for May, coming to all platforms and Game Pass at launch.
• Xbox and Windows Insider programs embracing public “fan fests” and meetups—mirroring each other in an attempt to rebuild lost trust and community ties.

Back of the Book

[114:06–137:10]

Paul’s Tips:

• Gaming on Linux: Steam’s “collections” and Deck Verified filters make it easy to identify games that run well on Linux—even for less powerful systems.
• Chrome Updates: Google Chrome finally adds vertical tabs and a true immersive reading view. Install extensions to reduce telemetry and tracking if you switch.

Whiskey of the Week (Richard)

• Corowa Peated Single Barrel (Australia):
  • "Peated Stage Single Barrel" aged in tawny port American oak; 60.6%.
  • “A stunner... very warming, kind of coffee-cake rich.”
  • Not widely available, brought to Richard by a listener from Australia.
  • Rich historical and local tie-in as the distillery is located in a restored 1920s flour mill.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Windows frustrations:

  “If he's Charlie Brown, then who's the football? — Windows. And Microsoft is Lucy pulling it away.”
  — Leo Laporte [07:52]

• On patch fatigue:

  “When was the last time a Patch Tuesday update didn't have to be fixed this year?”
  — Leo Laporte [38:53]

• On Copilot’s many warnings:

  “Copilot tries but it can make mistakes.”
  — Microsoft Copilot ToS [59:13, summarized/paraphrased]

• On AI product branding:

  “Microsoft made a big mistake going out with a brand from day one and making it a thing and like a point of sale.”
  — Leo Laporte [68:28]

• On organizational upheaval:

  “There has never been Visual Studio without Julia Liuson. Never. Until now.”
  — Richard Campbell [84:42]

• On Windows team resurgence:

  “These guys don’t need that job. They’re valuable.”
  — Richard Campbell [43:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:08] Focus turns to Windows 11 and update cycles
• [08:00] Windows team reorg and return of old faces
• [09:19] “Native” apps debate & Windows’ layered architecture
• [31:26] Secure Boot certificate updates in 2026
• [36:06] Emergency Patch Tuesday cycle
• [56:57] AMD Ryzen 99950X3D2 price & launch
• [57:48] Copilot “for entertainment purposes only”
• [62:52] Copilot ToS and larger AI productization issues
• [76:05] Julia Liuson retires: the future of dev tools at Microsoft
• [88:16] Anthropic’s “computer use” and the agentic developer
• [95:48] Google One: 5TB storage and AI
• [105:03] Xbox updates, Game Pass, achievement overhaul
• [114:06] Back of the Book: gaming on Linux, whiskey pick

Final Thoughts

This episode is a microcosm of Microsoft’s current dilemmas and ambitions: wrestling with legacy and modernity in Windows, firefighting on app and security fronts, going all-in on AI—yet undermined by branding confusion and trust issues—while pivoting the whole company from software platform to infrastructure behemoth. All of it is leavened by the hosts’ trademark blend of technical depth, cultural reflection, gripes, running jokes, and a global whiskey tour.

Listen to the full episode and catch up on previous shows at TWiT.tv/WW

(Timestamps above reference the audio episode; skip all ad reads and intros for streamlined listening.)