Microsoft Foresees the End of Mouse and Keyboard by 2030

⬤ In a controversial new video, a senior Microsoft executive shared his vision for the future of computing and operating systems.

⬤ The most striking prediction was that using a mouse and keyboard will soon feel as outdated as using DOS does today.

⬤ The statement has sparked mixed reactions, with many expressing skepticism or even mockery at the idea that these long-standing computer accessories could disappear.

How will Windows look five years from now? Unsurprisingly, Microsoft believes artificial intelligence will play a central role. The company released a video titled “Windows 2030 Vision”, forecasting that users will interact with their computers primarily through natural language. According to Microsoft, by 2030, “navigating with a mouse or typing on a keyboard will seem as strange as using DOS feels to Gen Z today.”

David Weston, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Enterprise Security, appeared in what seems to be the first episode of the new “Windows 2030 Vision” series.

Weston’s first prediction was that within five years, companies will be able to “hire” AI agents to serve as cybersecurity specialists. These AI agents will act like real colleagues, joining Teams meetings, chatting with coworkers, and handling digital tasks.

As is often the case when AI threatens to displace human roles, Weston clarified that these systems are designed to offload repetitive, low-value tasks—freeing people to engage in more creative and strategic endeavors. “I believe we’ll rely less on our eyes,” he added, “and interact with our computers more through voice.

Taking it further, Weston said, “I truly believe that the future version of Windows and other Microsoft operating systems will be multimodal. The computer will be able to see what we see, hear what we hear, and respond to complex spoken commands.” He described this as a more natural way to communicate with technology.

Microsoft has invested more heavily than any other company in AI, with more than $13 billion invested in OpenAI, a $650 million deal for Inflection AI, and tens of billions more in data center infrastructure. As a result, AI features continue to spread across every Microsoft product, whether users want them or not.

The concept of a Windows system guided by an AI assistant that listens and acts on voice commands has received a mixed response online. The video currently has more dislikes than likes, and many doubt that such a transformation will happen by 2030. Tech companies often present ambitious visions for the future that never fully materialize. If the predictions made in 2020 had come true, we would all be living in the Metaverse and paying exclusively with crypto by now.

While technology will certainly keep evolving and new input methods will emerge, most users still believe that the mouse and keyboard are unlikely to become obsolete anytime soon, especially with only five years left until 2030.