Microsoft recently announced a line of personal computers designed for artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report issued by Morgan Stanley, this launch could potentially spark a new wave of PC sales. The report suggests that the commercial PC market will be the first to adopt AI PCs as productivity tools. Factors such as a starting price of $1,000 or more, an increase in the installed base of commercial PCs post-pandemic, and the impending relaxation of Windows 10 could accelerate PC sales in the coming years.
Morgan Stanley’s research indicates that 75% of CIOs in Europe and the United States are either evaluating or planning to evaluate AI-enabled PCs. The initial forecast from the bank predicts that new AI computers will make up 2% of total PCs this year, with that number increasing to 64% by 2028. Microsoft’s new “Copilot+ PCs” are equipped with neural processing units capable of 40 tera operations per second, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, developed in collaboration with chipmakers and OEMs.
The move towards local AI processing on personal computers represents a significant shift in the industry. As AI applications become more common, there is a growing need to address issues like data privacy and performance bottlenecks associated with cloud-based processing. By integrating dedicated AI hardware into personal computers, Microsoft aims to offer users a more secure and efficient computing experience, despite potential higher costs.
In an interview, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed his reluctance towards human-like AI assistants, stating that he views AI as a tool rather than something to anthropomorphize. He even suggested that the term “artificial intelligence” is misleading, proposing “different intelligence” instead.
While Microsoft’s push towards AI-powered PCs shows promise for the future of computing, the real-world performance and cost-effectiveness of these machines remain to be seen. It will be interesting to observe how this shift towards AI-enabled PCs will impact the overall PC market and consumer preferences in the coming years.
In conclusion, the integration of AI in personal computers marks a significant advancement in the tech industry, with potential implications for productivity, efficiency, and data security. As more businesses and individuals explore the benefits of AI-enabled PCs, the market landscape is likely to evolve, with Microsoft leading the way with their innovative Copilot+ PCs.
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https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/will-microsoft-spark-a-wave-of-ai-powered-pcs/