According to Neowin , Windows 12 is expected to bring many new AI features, but to enjoy this experience, Microsoft may set minimum hardware requirements for future "AI PCs". This is said to originate from a recent TrendForce report that said 16 GB will be the minimum RAM requirement for next-generation Windows AI PCs expected to launch in the second half of 2024.

Not only high RAM, the report from Tom's Hardware also adds to the opinion with the statement that in addition to 16GB RAM, AI PCs will need at least 40 TOPS (a performance measure for computing power) to ensure flexible on-device performance and be suitable for "AI PCs".

At this point, Microsoft has yet to acknowledge the existence of Windows 12, so there’s still a lot of unknowns to make a definitive statement. It’s unclear whether Microsoft plans to block devices with 8GB or less of RAM from upgrading to the next generation of Windows, or whether the 16GB limit is a requirement for AI-powered experiences on new devices with Windows 12 in the first place. For reference, Windows 11 won’t install if the system has less than 4GB of RAM, at least for the official versions.

Specific hardware requirements are still the subject of speculation based on rumors, but it's almost certain that some upcoming features will require neural processing units and specialized hardware built into new chips from Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD.

As of now, Intel is the only company whose chips can’t meet the rumored 40 TOPS requirement, with Meteor Lake only able to hit 34 TOPS. However, the company expects its next-generation CPUs to triple that figure. Meanwhile, AMD’s Ryzen 8000 CPUs are said to be capable of 45 TOPS, with similar performance levels expected to happen with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite platform.

Aside from hardware limitations, users are also wondering what parts of next-generation Windows will require the recently announced Copilot Pro, which costs $20/month to subscribe to.

Note that Microsoft has yet to decide what to call the next generation of Windows. 16GB of RAM is reportedly the base amount for AI PCs, so keeping the Windows 11 branding makes more sense than Windows 12. If that happens, existing PCs could continue to get updates and new features, while newer PCs with more powerful hardware would get more software. That’s not a new concept in Microsoft’s world, considering Windows Vista’s Aero theme required a more powerful GPU.