Why Your Next PC Needs AI Capabilities
Organizations that invest in machines with artificial intelligence will help users move into the future.
We’re a bit more than two years into the current wave of artificial intelligence products, and organizations have seen varied results from their investments. Many are already using AI to create value in the data center, in cybersecurity, and in lines of business such as marketing and content creation. But other organizations have made large investments that haven’t yet paid off, and some business leaders are now in wait-and-see mode when it comes to AI.
So, why should companies make the leap now to AI-enabled PCs with neural processing units? Because if they don’t, they risk missing out on benefits over the next several years that will instead go to their competitors.
What Is an NPU?
An NPU is the dedicated engine of AI-enabled devices, used to run AI workloads. This chip’s performance is measured in trillions of operations per second. By incorporating NPUs, machines can balance out workloads, giving a computer’s memory, CPU and graphics processing unit the capacity they need to perform operations that aren’t related to AI.
NPUs are the heart of the new AI-enabled ThinkPad and ThinkBook devices from Lenovo. Another common industry term for these devices is “Copilot+ PC,” a reference to Microsoft’s suite of AI capabilities.
What Can an NPU Do Now?
In the near term, Copilot+ PC users are mostly going to see improved performance and usability of their devices. Even without the presence of AI-specific applications, NPUs operate in the background, continuously optimizing device performance. Users may notice that their machines are a bit more responsive, and they will likely be amazed by the battery life of their new devices. We’re seeing AI-enabled laptops run for up to 30 hours or more without charging, a truly transformative improvement that will allow users to work on the go for days at a time without stressing about power.
Many of the first AI-enabled applications we’re seeing revolve around cybersecurity, so organizations that roll out Copilot+ PCs will likely see near-term improvements to their threat protection efforts as well.
What’s On the Horizon?
The question isn’t really whether AI is going to have a significant impact in the coming years. The question is how significant it will be. I foresee a massive impact.
If I’m right, that means AI is at a moment similar to the one experienced by mobile computing shortly after the introduction of the smartphone. Back in 2007 and 2008, developers were still experimenting in the playground that smartphones opened up to them, but it didn’t take long for mobile apps to become business-critical tools. We’re very likely to see the same thing happen with AI applications over the next two to three years — if not sooner.
Business leaders can’t know exactly when each industry will see its own game-changing AI applications, or what they will be. All they can do is be ready. And to be ready, their organizations need AI-enabled PCs.
