In an assertive move to advance the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in personal computers (PCs), Intel has launched an ambitious "AI PC Acceleration Plan," targeting the shipment of over 100 million AI-powered PCs by 2025. The pioneering initiative was unveiled on October 19, following an earlier announcement by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger at the "Intel ON Technology Innovation Summit" in September. Gelsinger heralded the release of the Intel Core Ultra processors on December 14, aimed at spearheading the advent of the AI PC era.
The continual emergence of generative AI, represented by models like ChatGPT, has significantly accelerated the integration of AI across various industries. Although large AI models primarily run on cloud servers, requiring endpoint devices to be connected to the internet, the trend is shifting. Companies like MediaTek and Qualcomm have been proactive in integrating AI models into mobile devices. Similarly, Intel aspires to bring large AI models to PCs to stimulate the onset of the AI PC epoch.
Intel's core objective is to fundamentally alter the PC experience by promoting a close collaboration between cloud servers and PCs, which in turn will unlock human productivity and creativity. This resonates with the broader industry hope that AI PCs could rejuvenate the declining global PC market, which has seen a 9% YoY drop in shipments in Q3 2023, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of decline. The rejuvenation of the PC market through AI is seen as a vital pivot point for the industry in the coming years.
In anticipation of this paradigm shift, various PC manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Acer have already begun crafting their own AI PC notebooks, alongside an array of AI applications to enhance the user experience in daily work and life activities. The excitement around the new opportunities that AI PCs bring to the table is palpable, with HP CEO Loures stating, "I've been in this (PC) industry for decades, and I've never seen such an opportunity. AI can truly drive innovation and meet new customer needs".
The unveiling of the Intel Core Ultra processors, equipped with integrated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) for efficient AI acceleration and local inference on PCs, marks a significant milestone. This processor is the first to adopt the 3D Foveros packaging technology, Intel 4 process technology, and incorporates Intel's Iris Xe graphics, delivering discrete graphics-level performance.
Various reports indicate that the AI PC era is on the horizon, with significant potential to elevate the PC industry to new heights. As AI continues to permeate through different sectors, the integration of AI in PCs is seen as a natural progression to satisfy the growing consumer appetite for personalized and privacy-preserving user experiences.
