Thomas Alsop
Research expert covering the global hardware industry
AI PCs - statistics & facts
The advent of PCs with enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities is set to rejuvenate the PC industry. AI PCs, computer systems that are configured to handle AI and machine learning tasks, are expected to command a growing share of the market in the coming years. The PC market went through a period of inventory rebalance in 2023, contributing to a 15 percent fall in annual shipments. However, with the global economy in recovery, so too was the PC market, with shipments returning to a stage of growth moving into 2024. And now, new processor platforms from the major chip companies, alongside the development of additional generative AI applications, means that AI PCs are expected to revolutionize computing.
Chips to accelerate AI workloads
In addition to the traditional processors found in PCs such as the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU), AI PCs accommodate another key component in the form of the neural processing unit (NPU). These accelerators act as the brains behind AI, designed to supercharge generative AI and machine learning tasks. As a result, the major chip companies will play a pivotal role in the development of more powerful and efficient PC processors.The race for AI PC chip dominance
Intel and AMD are already leading the charge on AI chips for PCs. Intel has come together with Microsoft to define what an AI PC is. In addition to needing a CPU, GPU, and NPU, these PCs should be able to run Microsoft Copilot locally and feature a physical Microsoft Copilot key on the keyboard. Looking at AMD, the company announced a new series of AI processors in April 2024, with its next generation Ryzen chips expected to power models for many of the leading PC brands. And of course, the darling of the AI revolution, Nvidia, will not look to be outdone. It has unveiled new GPUs designed to enhance generative AI capabilities, as well as releasing Chat with RTX, an application that makes it easier to run a large language model on a Windows PC.The new era of AI PCs
With AI and other machine learning tasks in high demand, the leading PC vendors have moved to pursue the development of AI-capable PCs. The likes of Intel and AMD offer dedicated processors for handling AI-related workloads, chips that are becoming the standard onboard PCs. Beyond traditional architecture types, Arm-based AI PC chips from the likes of Qualcomm and Apple will result in the competition hotting up even further. Such is the hunger for devices that support AI, that manufacturers will be pushing AI PCs as their flagship products.
