Microsoft Build 2026 kicks off on June 2 with a big focus on artificial intelligence and new developer tools. The event runs for two days at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. CEO Satya Nadella will deliver the opening keynote, streaming live at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time. You can watch it online for free, and all sessions will be available on demand after the event.

This year’s Build is all about AI agents—smart helpers that can work alongside people to get tasks done. Microsoft is shifting from simple AI assistants to what it calls “autonomous digital coworkers.” These AI agents can handle complex, long-running jobs in apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Agent Mode is now the default for Microsoft 365 Copilot, which means AI can take on more responsibility and work independently.

Developers will get deep dives into Azure AI Foundry, a platform that manages AI models from OpenAI and other providers. Build will show how to route tasks across these models, control costs, and enforce responsible AI policies inside organizations. Cost control is a big topic, as companies want to track AI usage and avoid surprises on their bills.

Windows and AI: Local Power for Developers

Windows remains a key focus, but there will be no Windows 12 announcement. Instead, Microsoft is pushing AI features that run directly on Windows devices. The latest Windows 11 Insider build already added a customizable Start menu and expanded local AI capabilities. Build will offer new APIs and tools for developers to build AI-powered apps that work offline or with less cloud dependency.

GitHub Copilot also gets a spotlight. Microsoft plans to expand multi-agent support inside Visual Studio Code and integrate better with Azure. Copilot CLI, which lets developers use AI in terminal workflows, went live in March. Build will likely introduce ways to orchestrate multiple AI agents working together to help write code faster and smarter.

New Hardware and the Nvidia Partnership

Rumors suggest Microsoft will unveil new hardware at Build, possibly Surface devices powered by Nvidia’s new Arm-based chips. Nvidia and Microsoft teased “a new era of PC” just days before Build, hinting at a close partnership. These Windows machines may offer better AI acceleration using Nvidia’s GPUs and neural processing units (NPUs).

This hardware push aligns with announcements at Computex 2026 in Taiwan, where Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presented new AI breakthroughs. The combination of Microsoft’s AI software and Nvidia’s chips could deliver faster, smarter AI experiences on Windows PCs. This marks a shift toward devices built specifically for AI workloads, not just traditional computing tasks.

Alongside the tech announcements, Microsoft secured a huge government contract worth $9.69 billion. This deal covers licensing for military and intelligence agencies, simplifying software management and cutting costs. It shows Microsoft’s growing role in enterprise and government AI deployments.

Overall, Build 2026 is less about flashy consumer products and more about empowering developers with AI tools and platforms. The event will highlight how AI agents are changing the way people work and code. New hardware will support this shift by offering powerful AI computing on the edge. If you follow AI in software and hardware, this conference will have plenty to watch and learn.