Microsoft Makes Windows an Agent Platform and Replaces GPT-4 in Copilot with Polaris
Key Questions
What is Microsoft announcing about Windows at Build 2026?
Microsoft announced that Windows is becoming an agent platform, enabling free-tier agent capabilities. The Windows Agent Framework is being open-sourced under the MIT license to expand the ecosystem.
When will GPT-4 be replaced in GitHub Copilot and with what?
Microsoft plans to replace GPT-4 with its own Polaris model in GitHub Copilot by August 2026. This change reduces dependency on OpenAI for the coding assistant.
What is the status of the new GitHub Copilot desktop app?
The new GitHub Copilot desktop app is currently in technical preview for subscribers. It will become available to free users at a later date as part of the updates.
At Build 2026, Microsoft announced Windows is becoming an agent platform, enabling free-tier agent capabilities on Windows. Additionally, Microsoft is replacing GPT-4 in GitHub Copilot with its own Polaris model by August 2026, breaking OpenAI dependency. The Windows Agent Framework is open-sourced (MIT), further expanding the free agent ecosystem. A new GitHub Copilot desktop app is in technical preview for subscribers, coming to free users later.