The Exciting Journey from Windows Copilot to WebNN

After much anticipation, the arrival of the first Windows Copilot Runtime tools has left many users disappointed. The hang not only freezes the NPU app but also impacts tools like Task Manager, forcing a PC reboot as the only solution. While updated drivers are expected soon, the current situation feels like hitting a dead end.

From desktop to WebNN

The new drivers aim to support WebNN alongside your own code. WebNN is a cutting-edge standard that enables ONNX usage in the browser, empowering local execution of small models rather than relying on remote servers. Microsoft has been actively integrating experimental WebNN support into its Edge browser, currently available in the Dev and Canary Insider builds.

In the announcement of DirectML support for Qualcomm’s NPU, Microsoft shared guidelines for leveraging DirectML with WebNN. While the process might seem intricate at this stage, involving the extraction of the DirectML DLL from the NuGet package and manual installation in the appropriate Edge directory, the potential payoff is worth the effort.