By Kashmira Konduparty
Microsoft has introduced Project Solara, a new software platform designed for devices that run artificial intelligence agents rather than traditional apps, marking the company’s latest push toward what it calls an “agent-first” future of computing, according to a report by GeekWire.
The project was unveiled during the company’s Build 2026 developer conference and reflects Microsoft’s belief that AI agents will become the primary way people interact with technology.
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Unlike conventional operating systems that rely on app stores and standalone applications, Project Solara is designed around AI agents that can perform tasks, retrieve information and interact with multiple services on behalf of users. Microsoft executives described the platform as a shift away from navigating individual apps toward a system where users communicate directly with AI using natural language.
Project Solara is built on the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform, an Android-based operating system developed to run on smaller, low-power devices while maintaining enterprise-grade security and management features. Microsoft said the platform is intended for a new generation of AI-powered hardware that can remain connected to cloud-based intelligence services and carry out tasks autonomously.
During the conference, Microsoft showcased two concept devices powered by Solara. One was a desktop smart display capable of recognizing users through facial identification and providing access to personalized AI agents. The second was a wearable badge-like device equipped with a camera and fingerprint scanner that could capture, transcribe and organize conversations. Microsoft said the devices are reference designs and are not currently planned for commercial release.
The company said Project Solara is being developed in partnership with chipmakers Qualcomm and MediaTek and is intended to support a broad ecosystem of future AI devices. Microsoft also revealed that companies including AccuWeather, Best Buy, CVS Health and Target are expected to participate in pilot programs using the technology.
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The initiative comes as major technology companies race to establish a foothold in the emerging AI hardware market. Microsoft, Google, Meta and OpenAI have all been exploring ways to integrate AI more deeply into everyday devices. Rather than positioning AI as an application that runs on top of an operating system, Project Solara aims to make AI agents the foundation of the computing experience itself.
Microsoft has not announced a release date for consumer products based on Project Solara. However, the company described the platform as part of the next major shift in computing, one in which users increasingly rely on AI agents to complete tasks across devices and services without needing to open individual applications.