The last time Microsoft really needed Windows developers was when it asked them to build a new type of application that could work across phones, PCs, tablets, Xbox consoles, and headsets like the HoloLens. It was all part of a larger effort to transform Windows with a new interface for touch-friendly apps, designed to rival the iPad. 

It failed miserably. Developers didn’t flock to universal Windows apps, and Microsoft eventually abandoned its touch-friendly UI in favor of a more traditional desktop in Windows 10. The cross-platform dream of the Windows 8 era didn’t last very long.

Now, Microsoft is trying something new, and it needs developers’ help again. It’s adding AI models and tools directly into Windows for this first generation of Copilot Plus PCs — laptops that have powerful neural processing unit (NPU) chips to accelerate AI tasks. I’ve written about how these new laptops will compete with the MacBook Air, transition Windows to Arm-powered chips, and set Windows up for an era of AI. The big selling points are better battery life, better performance, and the promise of AI features inside Windows and the apps you use every day.

But for all of this to work, Microsoft needs developers to adapt their apps again — and get people excited to use Windows.

AI was the talk of Microsoft Build, coming out of every speaker’s mouth and plastered on sign after sign on Microsoft’s campus. There were…