What is Hybrid Intelligence?

It is Microsoft's concept of combining local AI, which runs on the device, with cloud AI. By adding local AI, runtime, and routing to Windows PCs, users can switch between local and cloud AI as needed.

What is the advantage of local AI over cloud AI?

Local AI is less capable in performance than cloud AI, but it can complete processing on the device without sending sensitive information outside.

Will Copilot access my PC data automatically?

No. Copilot's data access is carried out only when the user has given permission.

Large Language ModelsAI Coding AssistantsGIGAZINE AI3m agoOct 8, 2026, 16:00 JST

Microsoft ships MAI-Code-1.1-Flash, pitches Hybrid Intelligence

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3 Key Points

What happened
Microsoft announced MAI-Code-1.1-Flash, an AI model designed with local execution in mind, and proposed Hybrid Intelligence — pairing local and cloud AI on Windows PCs.
Why it matters
Local AI runs on the device instead of the cloud, so sensitive information can be processed without being sent outside, and users can choose between local and cloud AI as needed.

WHO IT HITSBusinesses and IT teams that handle confidential data on Windows PCs may gain an option to keep processing on-device, and Copilot users may see new on-PC task automation if they grant permission.

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Context & Analysis

Microsoft's proposal places local AI and cloud AI side by side rather than treating one as a replacement for the other. Local AI trails cloud AI on raw performance, but it keeps sensitive data on the device by completing processing there. That trade-off is the reason Microsoft frames a mix of the two as the practical setup, rather than local-only or cloud-only.

The Windows piece follows from that: Microsoft says it will implement strong local AI, a high-performance runtime, and a routing feature that selects the best AI, so the local-versus-cloud choice can be made as needed. Nothing in the announcement suggests a timeline for when these features arrive.

What the hybrid approach changes for the assistant is scope. Copilot can use data inside the PC to perform tasks on a user's behalf, and Microsoft says this access happens only with the user's permission — an explicit condition attached to the capability itself.

FAQ

What is Hybrid Intelligence?: It is Microsoft's concept of combining local AI, which runs on the device, with cloud AI. By adding local AI, runtime, and routing to Windows PCs, users can switch between local and cloud AI as needed.
What is the advantage of local AI over cloud AI?: Local AI is less capable in performance than cloud AI, but it can complete processing on the device without sending sensitive information outside.
Will Copilot access my PC data automatically?: No. Copilot's data access is carried out only when the user has given permission.

GIGAZINE AIRead Original Article

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