Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system is facing renewed reliability challenges following the January 2026 update (KB5074109), which analysts warn could undermine the company's broader 'AI-first vision' and the adoption of Copilot.
- The recent update is reportedly causing new issues, including black screens and frozen Outlook POP accounts.
- The ongoing instability follows a 'catastrophe' year in 2025, marked by repeated failures of core features such as Remote Desktop and Windows Hello.