Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, unveils the AI PC, transforming personal devices by enabling local processing of high-end AI workloads, challenging cloud dominance. (IT World Canada)
Intel's chief executive officer, Pat Gelsinger, made a significant announcement at CES 2024, introducing the AI PC and emphasizing its potential to revolutionize personal computing. The AI PC, positioned as a groundbreaking advancement, empowers personal computers with the ability to process high-end AI workloads locally, steering away from reliance on cloud computing.
During the launch of Intel's "AI Everywhere" strategy last month, the company declared the AI PC as the most substantial transformation in the PC experience in two decades. This innovation is likened to the impact of Intel Centrino, which liberated laptops by enabling them to connect to Wi-Fi from any location.
To underscore the advantages of the AI PC, Gelsinger outlined what he termed the "three laws of edge computing": economics, physics, and land. The economic law highlights the cost-effectiveness of running AI workloads on personal devices compared to renting cloud servers. The law of physics emphasizes the improved responsiveness of workloads when processed locally, eliminating the need for roundtripping data to and from the cloud. Lastly, the law of land provides users with greater control over data storage, allowing local storage for those concerned about cloud storage or unwilling to engage with hyperscalers.
Gelsinger predicts that these principles will drive more AI use cases towards edge devices, amplifying the impact of the AI PC. Intel's latest Intel Core Ultra mobile processor family, featuring an on-chip AI accelerator called the neural processing unit (NPU), is a key player in ushering in the era of the AI PC. This development expands AI capabilities to over 230 laptop and PC designs worldwide.
According to the Boston Consulting Group, AI PCs are projected to constitute 80% of the PC market by 2024, prompting considerations about the future viability of hybrid cloud options. Gelsinger clarified that while the creation of foundation models may require extensive cloud environments, the majority of users will be employing these models. Notably, the trend involves using open source foundation models, such as Meta's Llama 2, to run smaller models on local data for specific applications.
At CES 2024, Nvidia also showcased AI-ready laptops, contributing to the growing focus on AI in personal computing. However, Intel asserts its leadership in the AI PC domain, with Gelsinger expressing appreciation for emulation by stating, "We're the driving force behind it. But you know, we love it when people copy us."
In another stride towards AI ubiquity, Intel announced the extension of the AI PC experience to automotive technology. As part of the "AI Everywhere" strategy, Intel revealed plans to launch automotive versions of its latest AI-enabled chips. The acquisition of Silicon Mobility, a company specializing in SoCs (system on chips) for intelligent electric vehicle (EV) energy management, further strengthens Intel's position in the evolving AI ecosystem. Geely's Zeekr brand is slated to be the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to adopt Intel's new family of SDV SoCs, signaling a transformative integration of AI in the automotive sector.
