Microsoft Denies Plans to Rewrite Windows 11 in Rust Despite AI Ambitions

According to the LinkedIn post by Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Galen Hunt, there was talk of eliminating all C and C++ code from Microsoft’s codebase by 2030 and replacing it with Rust, a plan that many saw as enabling AI-assisted code generation. The article notes that in Windows 11, most system-level APIs and the kernel are still written in C, with many applications in C++, and that Microsoft has been testing the rewriting of some kernel components in Rust to strengthen security.

It stresses that Microsoft has since clarified that Windows 11 and future versions will not be rebuilt using Rust and AI-driven refactoring, stating there are currently no such plans. Hunt amended his post to clarify that the effort is a research project aimed at enabling language migration, not a new strategy for Windows 11+.

The piece also mentions broader industry expectations that AI could transform coding, with statements attributed to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the Chief Technology Officer about future AI-generated code, though these claims are presented as part of the surrounding context rather than a Microsoft policy.