Microsoft has announced that it’s building a platform for AI agents called Project Solara. At Build 2026, the company showed it powering two different reference devices: a smart display and a smart key badge. Like many other companies, Microsoft believes the next platform shift is from apps to AI agents, and it wants Solara to be the platform for the coming wave of AI-first devices.
The move puts Microsoft directly in competition with other tech giants racing to define how we’ll interact with AI in the future. Rather than tapping through apps on our phones, companies are betting we’ll soon talk to AI agents that can handle tasks across different services and devices.
Microsoft’s smart display reference design can access information stored in Microsoft 365, including upcoming events from Outlook and data from Excel. It also accepts voice input and can theoretically execute tasks on your behalf, according to the company’s concept video. The smart key badge offers similar functionality but is fully mobile, with a touchscreen and camera that lets you input new kinds of information while on the go.
The timing makes sense for Microsoft. The company has already invested heavily in AI through its partnership with OpenAI and integration of Copilot across its product lineup. Solara appears to be the next logical step – creating a dedicated platform that other device makers could potentially use to build AI-powered hardware.
This approach mirrors what we’ve seen with smartphone operating systems, where platform owners like Google and Apple benefit from creating the software foundation that powers hardware from multiple manufacturers. If Microsoft can establish Solara as a standard for AI agents, it could position itself as the backbone for a new category of smart devices.
The smart display concept bears a clear resemblance to Amazon’s Echo Show devices, suggesting Microsoft sees an opportunity to compete more directly in the smart home space. The key badge concept is more novel, potentially appealing to enterprise customers who want AI assistance that travels with them throughout the workday.
Microsoft hasn’t announced when Solara-powered devices might reach consumers, or whether it plans to build its own hardware or focus on licensing the platform to other manufacturers. The reference designs suggest the company is still in the early stages of development, testing different form factors to see what resonates with users and partners.
