Microsoft Build 2026 Begins Today: Follow the Action for Copilot AI Updates and More (Live)

Our team is reporting live from San Francisco during Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's keynote speech. Here is the latest.

Corinne Reichert

Patrick Holland

Katelyn Chedraoui

June 2, 2026 7:20 a.m. PT

Conference season for software is in full swing, and Microsoft takes center stage this week. Microsoft Build 2026 is set to deliver fresh updates across its software lineup, with special focus on Copilot and Windows.

CEO Satya Nadella opens the show on Tuesday. Although Build targets developers first, many announcements reach everyday users of those tools. AI will feature prominently. Microsoft aims to evolve Copilot from a simple chatbot into async coworkers capable of handling extended tasks across major areas, as Nadella noted during last week's earnings call.

CNET staff are in San Francisco to deliver live coverage. Stay with us for every key reveal.

How to watch the Microsoft Build keynote

Track all AI developments via the YouTube livestream. Join the CNET stream too and chat with us live. Nadella's address starts at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST) on Tuesday, June 2.

Live

16 minutes ago

Early hardware announcements stand out

By Jon Reed

Software will dominate today's talks at this developer event. Yet software needs hardware, and recent Computex news from Taiwan offered early clues.

Nvidia unveiled an Arm-based system-on-a-chip platform for Windows called RTX Spark. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called it a reinvention of the personal computer.

The range, due this fall, features laptops from Microsoft, Dell, Asus, HP, Lenovo and MSI plus compact desktops.

These machines target on-device AI workloads, especially inference where models perform their core work. The platform supports agents, autonomous AI bots that act on their own. Expect frequent mentions of agents throughout the day.

Live

48 minutes ago

Microsoft faces high expectations after Google I/O

By Patrick Holland

Microsoft Build opens just after Google I/O, which highlighted Gemini growth in agentic AI. Google previewed Gemini 3.5 Flash, Gemini Spark and an early look at Gemini 3.5 Pro.

Gemini-powered tools appeared in Maps, YouTube and Google Docs, accepting natural spoken prompts that may ramble or serve as a verbal brain dump, per Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Gemini Omni launched as a lifelike video generator that can also enhance real footage using spoken instructions.

Google raised the standard. Observers will compare Copilot progress and watch for matching capabilities. A surprise Copilot smartglasses reveal to match Android XR details would certainly draw attention.

Live

1 hour ago

Microsoft CTO stresses practical AI value

By Corinne Reichert

At a Build gathering Monday evening, Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott noted the challenge of turning new AI features into tools people actually adopt.

Pure human psychology limits adoption, Scott explained.

Users need clear evidence that new methods outperform familiar ones. This holds especially true for agentic AI, which demands significant trust.

Building trustworthy software requires careful thought, Scott added, because only trusted tools will receive control of devices for autonomous assistance.

AI alone does not guarantee usefulness, he continued, citing a meme chat app built only to annoy his children.

Live

1 hour ago

Our reporters are on site in San Francisco

By Corinne Reichert

CNET journalists Faith Chihil and Corinne Reichert have reached Microsoft Build 2026 after picking up media badges the evening before the keynote.

Live

1 hour ago

Quick guide to Microsoft Build

By Katelyn Chedraoui

Curious about Microsoft Build? It is the company's yearly developer conference where updates and progress on software products are shared. The bigger picture is that much remains to be seen.

These events let firms preview projects, demonstrate experimental tools and outline future directions. Recent Build shows have centered on AI, so Copilot news is expected today.