Microsoft is promoting new PCs with cutting-edge CPUs that can run Windows software with artificial intelligence capabilities without rapidly depleting the battery.
TakeAway Points:
- Microsoft plans to release new Surface PCs that support its Copilot+ standard for AI model execution.
- Longer battery life is provided by Arm-based Qualcomm chips in these and other PCs; AMD and Intel chips will also be made available soon.
PC with AI chips
The Surface laptop and Surface Pro tablet, which include a Qualcomm chip and can perform some AI functions without an internet connection, were unveiled by the business on Monday. Other PC manufacturers, such as Lenovo, Dell, HP, Asus, Acer, and Samsung, are also releasing AI-ready computers that run Microsoft’s Copilot AI chatbot and are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors, which offer longer battery life.
Microsoft new PC Features
The PCs have the bare minimum of RAM, storage, and performance in accordance with Microsoft’s new Copilot+ standard. During a press keynote address on its Redmond, Washington campus, Microsoft said that Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel chips will come next. The PCs will be able to converse with people about what is on screen, translate audio, propose replies to incoming messages, and make adjustments in the Settings app.
PCs with Copilot+ will retail for $999. As of Monday, Microsoft is taking pre-orders; the gadgets will ship in June.
Recall functionality will allow users to look over a history of their past PC activities. Recall operates offline thanks to AI models that are installed locally on the device, and an index of the data is never sent to distant servers. In addition to drawings, AI models will be able to produce visuals from written descriptions.
In order to protect its Windows brand, Microsoft is relying on Qualcomm’s energy-efficient Arm-based chips that are capable of handling AI models. With MacBooks sporting its Arm-based chips, Apple has increased its market share in PC shipments, distancing itself from Intel, the leading supplier of computer processors.
Microsoft is stepping up its efforts to provide ChatGPT-like features to both business and consumer users. With support from Microsoft, OpenAI launched the ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, and it immediately became popular as a way to instantly access computer-generated poetry, email drafts, and historical event summaries.
Copilot chatbot
Soon after, Microsoft and other big tech firms began incorporating generative AI into their products. Along with the Windows 10 and 11 operating systems, the Bing search engine now features a Copilot chatbot that leverages ChatGPT’s underlying AI models. Subscribers to Office productivity software may opt to pay an additional fee to have a Copilot review their documents and provide written responses.
The internal GPT-4 model Only the essential processing has been completed by ChatGPT on Microsoft’s Azure cloud. Certain AI models can be locally executed on the new PCs without an online connection.
During the company’s results call, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella promised analysts that “in 2024, AI would become a first-class part of every PC.” This announcement was made over four months prior.
Users to Switch to Arm Processors
Microsoft has struggled to convince consumers to switch to Windows machines with Arm processors, which have not always operated as effectively as systems with AMD or Intel chips. Some applications have not worked well together.
Computer power requirements increase when generative AI is run locally, making long battery life even more crucial. That could add to the appeal of Windows on Arm.
According to a note sent to clients earlier this month, analysts with Morgan Stanley predict that Arm systems would account for 14% of total Windows PC shipments in 2026, up from 0% in 2023.
