In our current day and age, you would be hard-pressed to find a company that isn't striving to enter the AI space. Since the rise of ChatGPT and the overwhelmingly positive public response to AI in general, PC companies have been playing catchup to implement AI in their next generation of hardware. This has been made clear by recent events like CES and Samsung Unpacked this year.

The AI bandwagon: sorting signals from noise

Although there has been an impressive range of technology shown off at tech events this year, the main focus at almost every one has been AI and its implementation in phones, laptops, and computers. And while we've seen AI used in phones for quite some time now, the idea of having powerful AI CPU cores in our laptops and PCs has led people to imagine the endless possibilities AI will ultimately provide.

But this expectation may be somewhat misleading, or at least premature. As we know from previous tech showcases, companies often jump behind an idea without considering what the benefits will be for the end user. Currently, companies like Intel, AMD, and Nvidia are shifting their focus toward AI implementation in PCs and laptops by adding NPUs to their latest CPUs. But when asked what these chips will be able to do, answers are vague and rely mostly on what they might do in the future, rather than any immediate or tangible user-centric benefits.

What is an AI PC?

An AI PC is a computer that has an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) inside the CPU. An NPU is a dedicated processing unit for AI-related programs. These chips are designed to do 10 times more calculations per second than traditional CPU cores, making them perfect for running large language models or complex algorithms. NPUs are also designed to work alongside your CPU and GPU to relieve stress on either processor as needed, ensuring that no processor is overwhelmed, and providing users with a smoother workflow.

An NPU works similarly to platforms like ChatGPT and DALL-E, except that it has its own data sets, algorithms, and language models locally on the chip. This enables both language and media processing abilities that help users streamline many of their daily tasks. Companies like AMD, Nvidia, and Intel are already releasing chips with AI cores, such as the Intel Core Ultra series and AMD Ryzen 8000G CPUs. GPU developers like Nvidia are busily developing AI-based features for their RTX line of graphics cards.

Potential applications of AI PCs and NPUs

The burning question on every consumer's mind is, what will this new AI PC do for me? In the early stages of this technology, there will be very little separating an AI PC from a regular PC. This is because all computers have access to third-party AI applications on the internet. The big difference is that the AI PC stores this information locally.

Some of the main features that tech companies have touted for AI PCs include:

• Text-to-image programs
• AI-based security features for your device
• Intelligent battery management
• Improved photo and video editing capabilities
• An AI assistant for writing, coding, autocorrection, and predictive text

Many of these features will require constant access to the internet on launch, but some applications like the AI assistant can be used offline. The current idea for AI PCs is to use AI to accelerate and optimize programs on your computer, and to offer new quality-of-life features that will benefit users. While this is very useful for certain applications, it's by no means revolutionary. The real potential of this new technology is what it could be used for in the future.

Are AI PCs a gimmick or a game-changer?

With all the hype surrounding AI today, it's no surprise that chip makers are flocking to implement AI in their products as fast as they possibly can before consumers lose interest. But in the race to become the first provider of locally based AI, many of these companies still need to create a use for NPUs and AI PCs. There is no doubt that adding NPUs to processors will offer amazing benefits to end users over the long run, but in its initial implementation, AI PCs will mostly ride the wave of novelty.

Current showcases of AI CPUs demonstrate features like blurring the background of video conferences, drafting emails, and generating images. These are great features, but people can already do those things with third-party applications and web-based programs. AI PC makers need to create programs that incentivize users to upgrade. Otherwise, they risk becoming redundant. As AI PCs currently stand, they are more of a gimmick than a game changer, offering a few beneficial features to users, but nothing that would make you want to upgrade your PC tomorrow. Of course, the same thing could have been said for ChatGPT and other AI-based programs when they were first released.

Are AI PCs worth the hype?

While the AI PC is being labeled the computer of the future by tech companies, the technology currently offers only minor incremental improvements, by optimizing existing applications and introducing some novel features. While AI PCs might not prompt the need for an upgrade yet, history has shown that seemingly gimmicky technologies like ChatGPT can evolve into indispensable tools, so the jury is still out.

The promise of AI PCs now lies in the hands of developers who must use this new type of chip architecture to create innovative software that provides tangible value for consumers. So, are AI PCs worth the hype that they are currently riding? Probably not. But with new AI CPUs released, there's no telling what new programs could be created to draw out the AI PC's untapped potential.