Microsoft is experimenting with AI hardware that office workers could wear like an access badge.
At Microsoft Build 2026, the company showed two Project Solara concept devices. One is a small desk display, and the other is a wearable AI badge for office workers who use agents during the day. The badge includes a touch screen, camera, and fingerprint scanner, while the desk device can surface Microsoft 365 information and respond to voice input.
Microsoft shows AI devices for agent-based work
Microsoft described Project Solara as a “chip-to-cloud platform” designed for “agent-first experiences” and new device form factors. The company said the platform is designed to support devices that enable agents to participate in workplace tasks, environments, and workflows.
The wearable badge is roughly the size of an office access card. It can be worn on a lanyard or clipped to clothing. In a Build demonstration, Microsoft executive Steven Bathiche activated the badge with a fingerprint and asked it to take photos of the audience and send them for review.
The camera lets agents “better understand and help take action on the environment around them,” Bathiche said in a Microsoft blog post cited by BBC.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the devices a “new form factor” for computing, according to the BBC.
The desk concept resembles a small smart display for office use. It can show information from Microsoft 365 services such as Outlook and Excel, accept voice commands, and connect users to AI agents outside a traditional PC interface.
Microsoft has not announced release dates or pricing for either device.
Reference designs, not finished products
Microsoft positioned the devices as reference designs rather than commercial products it plans to ship itself. The company noted that the current pilots will help determine how these form factors could be built in the future.
The Verge reported that Microsoft does not plan to sell the two concept devices directly. Instead, it hopes hardware makers will use Solara as a starting point for enterprise AI gadgets.
Engadget also said that Qualcomm and MediaTek partnered with Microsoft on the reference designs. The platform is also expected to support different form factors and components.
Microsoft highlighted that Project Solara uses Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform, an enterprise-grade operating system built on AOSP. It is designed to support device deployment, security, privacy, and management through tools such as Microsoft Intune, Entra ID, and Windows Hello for Business.
The Verge also mentioned that companies, including AccuWeather, Best Buy, CVS Health, and Target, are expected to pilot Solara devices.
Privacy and management questions remain
The badge concept arrives as AI wearables face scrutiny over cameras, microphones, data retention, and consent. In offices, a device capable of recording conversations, transcribing meetings, or capturing images could raise concerns about compliance and employee privacy.
Microsoft has tried workplace hardware before, including HoloLens, which the company stopped producing in 2024 after years of development and testing challenges.
Still, Project Solara shows how Microsoft is thinking about the next stage of workplace AI. Instead of keeping agents tied to apps, browsers, and PCs, the company is testing devices that could make AI tools more portable and visible in daily work.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on our sister publication, TechRepublic.