ZDNETCompanies are exploring ways to leverageartificial intelligence(AI) to maintain their competitive edge, and PCs must evolve to keep pace.This is why "AI PCs" were a hot topic in 2024 and will continue to be in 2025, as PC manufacturers, OEMs and chip makers aim to initiate a new cycle of upgrades. But what exactly is an AI PC, and how does it differ from a regular PC? What is an AI PC? Think of an AI PC as asupercharged personal computer, tailor-made with the right hardware and software to handle AI and machine learning tasks like a pro. It's all about giving those number-crunching, data-sifting AI and machine learning tasks the power boost they need.These tasks cover a wide spectrum of workloads, including generative AI programs likeStable Diffusion, clever chatbots powered by local language models, comprehensive data analysis, training of AI models, and running intricate simulations and sophisticated AI-driven applications.Along with powerful processors (CPUs) and graphics cards (GPUs) to give the systems multitasking might, and ample RAM and swift storage options, these PCs boast something new: an NPU, or neural processing unit, designed to turbocharge AI tasks.Intel and Microsoft have also come together to define what an AI PC is, and in addition to needing a CPU, GPU, and NPU, these PCs will also have a physical Microsoft Copilot key on the keyboard and be able to run Copilot locally.And, as we'll see when we discuss the measure of the power and performance of an NPU, this has performance requirements that right now are hard to meet.The goal is to create systems that are quicker at executing AI tasks, more energy-efficient, and eliminate the need to send data -- especially sensitive data -- to cloud-based AI servers for processing. This approach ensures that systems can operate independently of an internet connection and enhance security by retaining the data locally.Apple has also made big moves into AI with Apple Intelligence, a platform that combines their latest processors and operating systems to develop writing and image tools. Its latest crop of hardware will all sport the "Apple Intelligence ready" tagline, but hardware support for some features goes back as far as the M1 chip for computers and iPads, and not so far back for the iPhone, with the oldest platform supporting the technology being the A17 Pro of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.This means that, rather than having to sell consumers a new piece of hardware for them to get onto the AI wave, they can get a taste of what it can offer with older hardware. Show more ZDNET What is an NPU? An NPU, short for neural processing unit, is a specialized processor that's tailor-made to manage the heavy lifting for AI tasks, a job typically assigned to the GPU.While a PC's GPU can certainly power through AI workloads, it can be quite a power-hungry endeavor. That's not ideal for laptops, where battery life is precious, and it's not the most efficient choice for desktops either.Also:I saw the future of AI at Qualcomm's headquarters, and Copilot+ PCs were only just the beginningRight now, NPUs aren't quite ready to take the reins from GPUs entirely. It's more like a partnership, with the two working in tandem to slash processing times while at the same time curbing power usage.But this is just the beginning, and next-gen NPUs will likely be up to speeding through AI tasks all on their own, leaving GPUs to focus on what they do best. While that's the endgame, we're just not quite there yet. Show more Who's getting into the NPU game? Tech titans Intel and AMD are wading into the AI PC arena in a big way.Processor ranges such as Intel's Core Ultraor AMD's Ryzen 7000 and 8000 desktop processors, and AI 300 mobile chips, all feature an NPU to take on some of the AI workload -- workloads such as AI effects on video calling and video generation, better multitasking with AI-accelerated software, and AI assistants.You're going to see "productivity," "efficiency," and "advanced collaboration" bandied around a lot.But remember, Intel and AMD are somewhat late to this game. When Apple kicked Intel to the curb and replaced the chip giant with its own line of M-series processors in 2020, these chips all featured "neural engine" NPUs.But the story goes further back. In September 2017, Apple unveiled the A11 Bionic chip for the iPhone, which was the first of its chips to feature a neural engine. And while Apple had been keeping its AI plans close to its chest, the emergence of Apple Intelligence tools and branding during the latter half of 2024 made it clear that the company had been laying the groundwork for AI in its hardware for years.Some Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processors also featured neural engines back in 2018.Intel and AMD haven't so much been leading the way but instead playing catch-up. Show more How do you know the performance of an NPU? NPU performance will be measured in TOPS -- Trillion Operations Per Second -- and this figure is likely to become the de facto measurement for an NPU.For example, a report byTom's Hardwarewith Todd Lewellen, the vice president of Intel's Client Computing Group, said running Microsoft's Copilot AI service locally rather than in the cloud would require an NPU with a minimum of 40 TOPS of performance.Also:I tried to torture-test Panasonic's ultra-rugged Toughbook. It didn't even blinkWhat this means is that users are going to have to become familiar with digging into spec sheets to find out what a certain processor is capable of. For example, whileAMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 375,HX 370, andHX 365 can hit NPU TOPS of 55, 50, and 55, respectively, the Ryzen 9 8945HS can only hit 16 NPU TOPS.Similar care needs to be taken with Intel chips. While theIntel Core Ultra 9 Processor 288Vcan hit NPU peak TOPS of 48, theCore Ultra 5 Processor 245KFis only capable of 13.Also out are the QualcommSnapdragon Elite Xchips, which feature the company's Hexagon NPUs that are capable of 45 TOPS.Bottom line, you're going to need to become familiar with processor spec sheets if NPU performance is important to you.And while it's all a rather apples vs. oranges comparison, the NPU in Apple's M4 Pro chip is capable of 38 TOPS. Show more What performance can you expect from an AI PC? It's hard to take benchmarks and translate them into real-world numbers, but Intel has published data on how itsCore Ultra chips perform under different workloadscompared to the competition -- in this case, AMD. Show more ZDNET Who makes AI PCs? Big-name OEMs such as Dell, Lenovo, and HP are all rolling out AI PC systems, powered by Intel and AMD processors that feature NPUs.However, currently, the largest manufacturer of AI PCs is Apple, since not only are the new Macs Apple Intelligence ready, but older Macs going back to the M1-powered hardware can make use of some Apple Intelligence tools. Show more Where does Windows 12 fit in here? There's nothing like a new release of Windows to get both consumers and businesses to upgrade their hardware, so PC makers are hoping thatWindows 12will make a big AI push.And if just some of the hints or rumors are true, AI is going to be a cornerstone of the new Windows release, and it will be a way for Microsoft to giveWindows Copilot-- formerly Bing Chat, the company's centralized AI assistant -- more features, closing the gap between Windows and Apple's MacOS. Show more Will existing AI PCs be compatible with Windows 12? While we don't have any official word on what the system requirements for Windows 12 will be, you can be sure that this current crop of AI PCs will have been built by the OEMs with a lot of feedback from Microsoft.Also: The best Windows laptops Show more Should you buy an AI PC? Good question!For Mac users, the decision is made for you in the fact that all the new hardware is Apple Intelligence ready. You're good to go!For Windows users, things are a little more hazy. There are some who feel that the true potential of Windows-based AI PCs might not become clear until Windows 12 rolls out (likely in the latter part of this year), so it may be better to play the waiting game. After all, why invest in the hardware now while the tools to leverage it fully are in the early stages?Also: This low-cost Lenovo PC is the desktop I recommend to most people - even though its made for gamersThat said, it's important to bear in mind that the last big update to Windows 11 --Windows 11 24H2-- brought with it a slew of AI-infused apps and features, as well as a Windows Copilot runtime layer. So AI PCs don't really have to wait for Windows 12.If you're in the market for a new PC anyway, opting for one with AI capabilities seems like a smart move. It not only future-proofs your investment but also offers immediate benefits, like blurring your video call background or quickly summarizing lengthy documents. If this sounds useful to you, it might just be worth spending the money now and beginning to leverage AI sooner rather than later. Show more Artificial Intelligence