Microsoft debuts Phi Silica, AI specifically for Copilot+ PCs

In 2023, Microsoft was a big believer in large language models, running in the cloud. At Microsoft Build, the company launched Phi Silica, a small language model designed to run specifically on the NPUs in new Copilot+ PCs.

In April, Microsoft announced Phi-3-mini, a model small enough to run on a local PC. Phi Silica is a derivative of Phi-3-mini, designed specifically to run on the Copilot+ PCs that Microsoft announced Monday.

Most interactions with AI take place in the cloud; Microsoft’s existing Copilot service...