Microsoft’s Plan to Replace C and C++ with AI-Driven Rust Code as Windows 11 Embraces Rust and WebView2

Microsoft has set an ambitious goal: to eradicate all instances of C and C++ from its products, including Windows 11, by the year 2030. While this may sound overly optimistic, a distinguished engineer at Microsoft expresses a firm belief in the feasibility of this initiative, largely attributing it to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).The strategy involves leveraging AI to rewrite existing C and C++ code into Rust, a modern programming language known for its performance and safety.

The Push Towards Rust in Windows Development

As part of its effort, Microsoft is actively preparing its Windows APIs for Rust developers. A notable resource is the “windows-rs” GitHub repository, which serves as a Rust projection of the Windows API. This allows Rust developers to utilize Win32, COM, and WinRT functionalities in a manner similar to C++ or C# applications.

Furthermore, Microsoft is expanding its focus on Rust beyond general application development. The company has developed a dedicated Rust driver development initiative, found at windows-drivers-rs on GitHub. This highlights Microsoft’s commitment to incorporating Rust into different areas of its ecosystem.

An Insight into Microsoft’s Hiring Strategy

In a recent job listing, Galen Hunt, a veteran engineer with over thirty years at Microsoft, revealed an opening for an “IC5 Principal Software Engineer.” This announcement is significant not just because of the title but due to the intriguing statement included in the job description:

“Goal is to eliminate every line of C and C++ from Microsoft by 2030. Our strategy is to combine AI *and* Algorithms to rewrite Microsoft’s largest codebases.”

The prospect of transforming Windows—primarily composed of C and C++ code—seems monumental. Yet, Microsoft believes that with the help of AI, it could be achievable for an engineer to generate over a million lines of code each month.

One Engineer, One Million Lines

“Our North Star is ‘1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines of code, ‘” wrote Hunt in a LinkedIn post, as noted by Windows Latest. Microsoft has invested in creating a robust “code processing infrastructure, ” which likely involves training its AI on the syntax of both C/C++ and Rust. This development aims to enable AI agents to handle code modifications at scale.

While this plan appears promising, there are concerns about the AI’s ability to accurately translate not just the syntax, but also the underlying intent behind the original code. This could explain why recent Windows updates have sometimes disrupted essential features, such as the Task Manager or even the BitLocker recovery screen.

Microsoft remains optimistic that this infrastructure will effectively transition many of its largest legacy systems from C and C++ to Rust, fostering greater efficiency and reliability.

The Future of Microsoft’s Architecture

As an engineer within Microsoft’s CoreAI division mentioned, “Our team is part of the Future of Scalable Software Engineering group.” Only time will reveal how proficient these AI-driven “agentic” programmers will be in translating existing C and C++ code into Rust across Microsoft products, including Windows. Additionally, it’s essential to note that the development landscape is evolving beyond just C and C++, with many modern applications in Windows 11 increasingly relying on resource-intensive frameworks like WebView2 or Electron.

For instance, the Outlook Agenda view within the Notification Center is generated using a web component that opens Microsoft Edge processes. This shift signifies a broader trend towards incorporating web technologies into traditional desktop applications.

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