While the internet yesterday was flooded by news about an upcoming Windows 12 being modular, AI focused, and not least, being subscription-based, many media picked up the story despite an actual credible source was lacking.
Windows Central was one of the first media outlets to launch an actual investigation, and found out that AI-based news sites had been partially to blame, using outdated information and a PC World article that was retracted as the report cited turned out to be false, and most likely either AI-generated, or using AI for research, with strong evidence of the AI being unable to tell the difference between online discussions and actual facts. But as both real and AI-based news sites started citing each other instead of looking towards the real source, things got worse.
There is no evidence towards Windows 12 being released this year, nor that is will be subscription based. The part about the OS being modular is, according to several Windows specialised media, most likely due to an old CorePC project of a scalable and more separated operating system as to improve security. Windows Central also points out that the credible codename, Hudson River, is from 2023, and that renders floating around are 2022 concept art, while the subscription part stems from rumours that are more than a decade old.