Microsoft Build 2026: How to Watch and What to Expect

Key Takeaways

• The keynote streams June 2 at 12:30PM ET on YouTube with CEO Satya Nadella
• New hardware is likely, with hints pointing to an NVIDIA collaboration on Arm chips
• Microsoft is recalibrating its AI strategy after public backlash to aggressive Copilot integration

Google I/O is done. Now it's Microsoft's turn. The company's Build 2026 developer conference starts Tuesday, June 2, with a keynote from CEO Satya Nadella at 12:30PM ET (9:30AM PT). The two-day event runs through June 3 and will feature talks, demos, and hands-on labs for developers.

How to Watch the Keynote

Microsoft is streaming the keynote live on YouTube. You can watch using the embed below. The company says it will also update its official blog with announcements as Build progresses.

What to Expect: A Measured AI Pitch

Build is traditionally a developer-focused event. It's drier than Google I/O or Apple's WWDC, with more API documentation and fewer flashy demos. This year's theme is the "era of AI," but that phrase means something different now than it did in 2025.

Microsoft has publicly acknowledged growing backlash to Windows 11's AI features. Users complained about aggressive Copilot integration and privacy concerns. The company responded by redesigning the enterprise version of Copilot and removing the AI assistant from some apps entirely.

The relationship with OpenAI has also shifted. As of April 2026, the two companies transitioned to a "more open partnership." What that means in practice should become clearer at Build.

“The shift from synchronous assistants to asynchronous, autonomous agents is the most significant architectural change in computing since the invention of the graphical user interface.”

— Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

Agentic AI, software that can plan and execute multi-step tasks autonomously, will be central to Nadella's pitch. But expect a more measured tone than in previous years. The models Microsoft uses and where its AI features appear could look very different from 2025's approach.

Hardware Tease: NVIDIA Partnership?

Build might not be all software. Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Windows and Devices, posted a teaser on X showing the rounded corner of an unidentified device. His message: the company has "something new for developers" at Build.

Separately, both the NVIDIA and official Windows X accounts posted the coordinates of Computex, a trade show in Taiwan that starts the same day as Build. Both posts included the phrase "a new era of PC."

NVIDIA is rumored to be developing its own Arm chips to compete with Qualcomm. Microsoft seems like a natural partner. The coordinated social media posts aren't confirmation, but something is clearly in the works.

Developer Community Reaction

Online discussion ahead of Build reflects the industry's mixed feelings about AI. On Reddit's r/technology, users are skeptical of agentic AI, questioning the privacy implications of giving LLMs autonomous control over office applications.

Hacker News discussions focus more on the technical side. Engineers are debating multi-model routing in Azure, weighing cost-efficiency against model-specific performance gains. The enterprise developer audience seems more interested in practical infrastructure than consumer features.

Schedule and More Information

Microsoft Build 2026 runs June 2-3. The full schedule of talks, demos, and labs is available on Microsoft's website. Nadella's keynote kicks things off, followed by deep dives into Azure AI Foundry, local NPU-based inference, and developer tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Microsoft Build 2026 start?

The keynote begins Tuesday, June 2 at 12:30PM ET (9:30AM PT). The conference runs through June 3.

Where can I watch Microsoft Build 2026?

Microsoft is streaming the keynote live on YouTube. The company will also post updates to its official blog.

Will Microsoft announce new hardware at Build 2026?

Signs point to yes. Microsoft's Windows and Devices EVP teased "something new for developers," and coordinated posts from NVIDIA and Windows suggest a partnership announcement.

What is agentic AI?

Agentic AI refers to software that can autonomously plan and execute multi-step tasks, rather than just responding to individual prompts. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella calls it the biggest architectural shift since the GUI.

Source: Engadget