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There has been a lot of buzz lately about “AI PCs” and how the latest processors from AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and others include dedicated neural processing units (NPUs) to poweron-device artificial intelligence.
While the promise of seamlessly integrating AI into our computers is intriguing, for most users, an AI-focused PC may not be necessary just yet.
A Regular PC Can Run Most Consumer-Level AI Tools and Tasks
AnAI PC uses its NPU to handle AI tasks easily, but the everyday AI tools we interact with don’t necessarily require special AI hardware. In reality, you could run most AI applications just as easily on a regular $300 PC as on a fancier $3,000 AI PC.
An internet-connected device is usually all you need to explore most consumer AI offerings at the time of writing. Take Microsoft Copilot, for example. Whether using it on a laptop or so-called AI PC, your requests still get sent to Microsoft servers for processing before the response comes back. The fancy Copilot key that “unlocks” Copilot on an AI-PC isn’t really doing anything special underneath. In fact, you can always just pressWindows + Cto launch Copilot on your non-AI PC.
Even more resource-intensive tools like Stable Diffusion for generating images can run directly on most consumer PCs. However, the NPUs in AI PCs could help lessen the demands on your CPU and GPU, potentially extending battery life. Not that most of us spend all day generating images!
AI PCs Don’t Have Killer Features Yet
Windows Studio Effects, a Copilot dedicated key, andWindows Recall—peculiar features of AI PCs—could be nice quality-of-life boosts for some. But on their own, they probably aren’t compelling enough to make the average person upgrade their laptop.
As someone who uses their computer for work and play every day, what would really get me excited about an AI PC would be features that open up new possibilities we haven’t really seen before. Maybe different on-device AI assistants for different creatives (writers, producers, designers, developers, etc.) that could generate almost-ready initial drafts based on your instructions, leaving you to refine and finalize the output. Or if an AI PC could leverage its knowledge of you—habits, interests, schedules, usage patterns—to serve up recommended apps, content, and reminders at just the right moments without prompting.
I want features that make me say, “Wow, I didn’t know my computer was capable of that!” Then, an AI-powered PC might seem like a worthwhile upgrade over my traditional machine. I’m sure these features are coming in the future, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
Windows 12 (or Later) Upgrades Might Make AI PCs More Appealing
The rumors about a future Windows 12 upgrade have been swirling online for months now. While Microsoft is staying tight-lipped as usual, folks atWindows Centralbelieve we could see a formal announcement in early summer 2025 based on typical release timelines. One idea that seems to keep popping up is the potential for beefed-up artificial intelligence capabilities built directly into the operating system. To power this ambitious AI vision, Windows 12 may mandate PCs to have a dedicated NPU or a high-end GPU that is able to handle local AI processing demands.
An improved Copilot might become even more helpful for common tasks. A rumored AI Explorer feature would learn your workflows over time and suggest relevant files, apps, or settings based on what you’ve been working on. Other speculated additions include an AI-powered search of your on-screen activity, AI image upscaling, automatic live captions for video calls, and an interface refresh with a more centered taskbar.
If a future Windows Update delivers on expectations of these expanded AI features built directly into the operating system, it could help push AI PCs further into the mainstream.
So, should you buy an AI PC now? Not urgently. If you’re into generative AI or want torun a local language model using GPT4All, your existing hardware can handle it just fine.
