The last 12 months have been an incredibly frustrating time for Windows fans. For the first time in a long while, it feels like Windows is suffering from a lack of focus from the people at the top.
Support for Windows 10 ended in October, and this year was the perfect time to strengthen Windows 11 as a viable replacement for millions of users. Instead, Microsoft spent most of it shoving the OS full of half-baked AI features, all while letting the quality bar slip and shipping new bugs and issues on an almost monthly cadence.
Everything Microsoft has done when it comes to Windows this year has eroded the platform's reputation in ways that I haven't seen since Windows 8. Today, it feels like people hate Windows 11 with a passion, much more so than they did when 2025 first started.
There are so many problems with Windows as a platform right now that it's hard to know where to begin.
AI obsession is hurting Windows
Every big Windows announcement this year was tied to some kind of AI feature or event. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Of course, the issue that made headlines the most this year is AI, as Microsoft falls over itself trying to make Windows 11 a frontier platform for artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, this effort feels like it has been prioritized above everything else, including quality of life and overall platform stability.
Copilot has forced its way into almost every surface and intention on the platform. Heck, even Notepad now has a Copilot button, which is something literally nobody has ever asked for. Microsoft's AI intentions feel obsessive and forced, almost as if the company is just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
Under the hood, Microsoft has been moving to make Windows 11 agentic. It unveiled the agentic workspace, along with a set of APIs that will allow AI developers to build tools that can automate workflows on your behalf. Sounds great on paper, until you read the fine print and discover that it comes with serious security implications and warnings.
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