Latest news with #Mu
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft Launches 'Mu,' New On-Device AI Model for Copilot+ PCs
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the best US tech stocks to buy now. On June 23, Microsoft officially launched a new small language model called Mu. The AI tool is designed for efficient local operation on personal computers, particularly the new Copilot+ PCs. Unlike larger AI models that rely on cloud processing, Mu operates entirely on a device's Neural Processing Unit/NPU, which enables rapid responses while consuming less power and memory. Mu is an efficient 330 million parameter encoder-decoder language model optimized for small-scale deployment on NPUs. Its design was carefully tuned to fit the hardware's parallelism and memory limits, and ensure peak efficiency for operations. The model's development used insights gained from Microsoft's earlier Phi models and was pre-trained on hundreds of billions of high-quality educational tokens. A development team working together to create the next version of Windows. To enhance its performance despite having fewer parameters, Mu was fine-tuned using advanced techniques such as distillation and low-rank adaptation, and it also incorporates transformer upgrades like Dual LayerNorm, Rotary Positional Embeddings/RoPE, and Grouped-Query Attention/GQA. Initially, the Mu model will be applied to the Settings function within the Windows system, using natural language processing to convert user inputs into system commands. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) develops and supports global software, services, devices, and solutions. While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft Just Launched Its New Mu Language Model. Should You Buy MSFT Stock Here?
Microsoft (MSFT) reiterated its leadership in artificial intelligence with the introduction of a brand-new 'Mu' small language model, an accelerated local model to run on Neural Processing Units (NPUs) on Copilot+ PCs. Introduced as part of a broader edge AI capability initiative, the solution seems to provide low-latency AI features. Wall Street is paying attention, with the stock moving to new all-time highs on June 25 as the software giant continues to convert AI innovation into tangible business victories. In context, the Mu model isn't another AI product launch but a sign of the accelerating hardware-software collaboration within custom silicon, Windows, and Azure ecosystems. With good tailwinds from Office 365 and cloud services, Microsoft has become the de facto AI platform company. Broadcom Just Got a New Street-High Price Target. Should You Buy AVGO Stock Here? Is United Health Stock a Buy, Hold or Sell for July 2025? This New ETF Promises to Help You Invest Like Warren Buffett and Yields 15% Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Microsoft (MSFT) is a technology leader, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, which sells software, cloud computing, enterprise services, and AI infrastructure. With a market capitalization of more than $3.6 trillion, institutional investors continue to keep Microsoft as a cornerstone holding due to its diversified business and stable cash flow. MSFT stock has gained nearly 9% over the past 12 months, including a 16% rally year-to-date. Shares recently hit an all-time high of $494.56, bolstered by AI-driven tailwinds and sustained revenue growth across its cloud and productivity segments. The stock trades at a forward price-earnings ratio of 36.4x and price-sales ratio of 14.7x, premium multiples. But the valuation itself is a testament to investor confidence in Microsoft's sustainable revenue model, 36% profit margins, and strategic corporate AI participation. With a return on equity of 32.7% and minimal leverage (0.13x debt-equity ratio), Microsoft remains financially robust. For the third quarter of its fiscal 2025, Microsoft announced great results, surpassing Wall Street estimates on all fronts. Revenue came to $70.1 billion, up 13% year-over-year (15% in constant currency), and net income climbed 18% to $25.8 billion. EPS came to $3.46, up 18% as well, led by strength in Microsoft Cloud, up 20% to $42.4 billion. Microsoft stock earns a 'Strong Buy' rating with 46 analysts tracking the stock. They have given 37 'Strong Buy' and five 'Moderate Buy' ratings. Analyst sentiment has remained solidly positive throughout 2025 with the aid of accelerating cloud expansion and new AI product cycles. The consensus price target for Microsoft is $518.98, which implies roughly 6% upside potential from current prices. With the Street-high price target at $626, there could be a possible 28% advance from here over the next 12 months. On the date of publication, Yiannis Zourmpanos did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Mint
6 days ago
- Mint
Microsoft launches Mu AI model for smart local tasks on Windows PCs
Microsoft has rolled out a small AI model called Mu that runs locally on Copilot+ PCs. It is designed to give users fast and accurate help by using the device's Neural Processing Unit instead of relying on cloud servers. Mu already supports the Windows Settings app for users in the Windows Insider Dev Channel. You can type natural language queries like "turn on night light," and Mu understands and responds in real time. The model has 330 million parameters and uses a Transformer encoder-decoder setup. This allows it to process input and output separately, which leads to better speed and lower delay. Microsoft claims that Mu generates more than 100 tokens per second and has much lower latency than other models of its size. Mu was trained using Azure A100 GPUs and tuned with advanced methods such as grouped-query attention and rotary positional embeddings. These help the model work efficiently even on limited hardware. To ensure Mu runs well on different PCs, Microsoft partnered with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. With post-training quantisation, the model was adapted to work with lower-precision formats like 8-bit and 16-bit integers. On devices like the Surface Laptop 7, Mu achieves output speeds over 200 tokens per second. Initially, Microsoft tested a larger model called Phi LoRA, which was accurate but slow. Mu, after fine-tuning, proved to be faster while still meeting the accuracy requirements. The team scaled up Mu's dataset to include 3.6 million training samples and added support for hundreds of Windows system settings. Features like prompt tuning and noise injection improved the model's ability to understand real-world queries. Mu is part of Microsoft's broader push to bring AI features directly to the device. It builds on earlier research from models like Phi and Phi Silica and will likely play a key role in future AI experiences on Windows PCs.
International Business Times
24-06-2025
- International Business Times
What is Mu? Microsoft Launches Small AI Model That Runs Fast and Private on Your PC
Technology giant Meta has moved a step ahead in making AI competition more interesting by launching a new AI tool, Mu, a small yet powerful language model designed to run directly on your computer. Unlike most AI tools, which operate on remote cloud servers, Mu utilizes your PC's Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for all of its processing, which in turn translates into faster performance, improved privacy, and no need for the internet to accomplish tasks. Mu is built for Copilot+ PCs and currently resides in the Windows 11 Settings app. It enables users to change system settings—such as screen brightness or battery saver—by simply typing or speaking natural language commands. No more digging through menus. For instance, if you say "turn on battery saver," the setting is activated immediately. Mu has just 330 million parameters, which is way smaller than other language models such as GPT-4, developed by OpenAI, a research lab known as a pioneer in natural language processing and AI. MU performs surprisingly well despite having considerably fewer parameters. It can generate 200 words per second on devices like the Surface Laptop 7. In tests on Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU, Mu processed tasks up to five times faster than many other models available on the market, making it one of the fastest in its category for real-time tasks. What sets Mu apart is its emphasis on privacy. All computation occurs in the device itself. That means your commands and data don't leave your PC, a significant benefit for individuals and businesses worried about the safety of their data. Microsoft also trained Mu to handle hundreds of system-level tasks, helping users with simple and easy-to-understand instructions. It is based on the company's Phi family of AI models, which are designed for high efficiency in limited computing environments. This makes Mu a perfect fit for devices that do not have good processing power. Currently, Mu is being tested through the Windows Insider Program. Users in the Dev and Beta Channels with supported hardware can already try it out. Microsoft is planning to broaden the application of Mu to more PCs using AMD and Intel chips. Mu is not flashy, yet it represents a smart shift in how people use their computers. It is like a quiet little helper that simply does its job when needed—quick, private, and efficient. As AI becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, small tools like Mu might have the most meaningful impact.
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Business Standard
24-06-2025
- Business Standard
Microsoft Mu model brings on-device AI agent to Copilot+ PCs: How it works
Microsoft has detailed a new lightweight language model called 'Mu,' which has already been deployed to power agentic AI Settings features on Copilot+ PCs. This AI model runs entirely on-device using the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), and according to Microsoft, delivers response speeds of over 100 tokens per second—fast enough to power AI agents in certain scenarios. For context, Microsoft added an AI-powered agent to the Settings app earlier this year, which lets users control their PCs using simple prompts like 'make my mouse pointer bigger' or 'how to control my PC by voice.' The agent can then guide users through solutions—or take the necessary actions automatically, with permission. This feature is currently available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on Copilot+ PCs. How Microsoft's Mu model works Mu is a specially designed AI model that's small and efficient enough to run directly on a PC's NPU, instead of relying on cloud-based servers. Microsoft says this makes it faster and more private since your data doesn't leave the device. The model is built using a technique called encoder–decoder architecture. In simpler terms, it first reads your input (like a question or command), understands its meaning, and then produces a response based on that understanding. Microsoft says this approach is more efficient than traditional models because it separates the task of understanding the input from generating the output—saving both memory and processing time. Mu was also custom-built to take advantage of how NPUs work, using hardware-friendly tweaks and smart memory-saving tricks like 'weight sharing' to reduce its size without sacrificing performance. As a result, Mu is optimised to deliver quick, reliable results while using fewer resources. Mu model's training process Microsoft trained Mu using its Azure cloud platform and powerful NVIDIA A100 graphics processors. The training process involved exposing the model to hundreds of billions of text samples—mostly educational content—to help it understand grammar, language patterns, and general knowledge. Mu builds on techniques from Microsoft's previous small models, like the Phi family. Although Mu is much smaller—about one-tenth the size of Phi-3.5-mini—it delivers similar performance thanks to better efficiency and training techniques. To make sure Mu runs smoothly on a wide range of Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft also worked closely with chip makers like Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD. They used advanced techniques like model quantization, which shrinks the model further while preserving its abilities.
