AI computing is the next big thing and here’s what Intel is doing to make it mainstream – All the details
AI has been the buzzword on everyone’s lips for the past few years, ever since AI made its debut with ChatGPT. Over time, AI models have matured and are now much more capable, but one trend we’ve seen recently is local computing. Because data is precious and no one wants to share it with large corporations to train their models.
Therefore, having powerful hardware to run these models and native AI features is an urgent need. Consider Apple Intelligence—it just runs on iPhone 15 Pro and Mac/iPad with M-series chipset. Likewise, only Pixel 8 Pro from Google to the top Gemini featured. Given this context, manufacturers such as Intel those who are bridging the gap in the personal computing space are on the other side of the spectrum.
Think about it—having AI features on smartphones is exciting, but it’s still a niche market. To reach a broader audience, it’s only possible through enterprise-level use cases. The real benefits of AI will only be realized when a large portion of the working population uses it on a daily basis. And that will only happen when the hardware becomes accessible to them. That’s where brands like Intel come in—making the hardware accessible and enabling “on-device” AI computing.
What is PC AI and how can it make computing accessible?
It’s simple, really. We grew up hearing about CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit), but now there’s a third component that was recently included in the chipset: the NPU, which stands for Neural Processing Unit. This ensures that machine learning and light AI tasks are processed locally on the system instead of sending data to an online server first. We are increasingly seeing how NPUs can power local features on smartphones. Now, with the renewed focus on PCs, we will gradually see on-device AI features more common on AI PCs from brands like Intel.
At the time recently ended computer In Taipei, we saw chipmakers working to build more efficient processors to handle the increased workloads in data centers around the world. Intel, in particular, launched its Xeon 6 processors, which offer much higher performance per watt. In the long run, this should translate to cheaper computing. For consumers, the Lunar Lake chipsets also focus on better efficiency. These new Lunar Lake chipsets feature Intel’s fourth-generation NPU, which offers 48 tera-operations per second and four times the AI computing power found in the previous generation.
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AI-powered PCs could change the way businesses work
According to Statista, Windows PCs still account for over 72.17% of the desktop market share. This alone highlights the importance of local computing to the PC market. Windows PCs are everywhere—they are given to new employees in corporate settings, found in offices, libraries, and many other places. This is where advanced AI computing will be beneficial.
Furthermore, it’s not just about hardware. Partnering with developers is equally important. Because unless you build use cases for the hardware you have, what good is it? Here, brands like Intel are also partnering with developers to bring a variety of features and experiences to AI PCs.
It’s tackling simple tasks that can take a single employee hours—summarizing emails, removing annoying objects from photos, assisting with writing emails, filtering data—that take hours. But with local computing and easily accessible software features, it can ultimately help the workforce be more efficient with their time and, of course, achieve that notorious work-life balance everyone craves.
