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What Is An AI PC? The Power Of Artificial Intelligence Locally
Credit: Shutterstock/GamePixel What is an AI PC? Unlike traditional computers, an artificial intelligence PC, or AI PC, comes with AI capabilities built in by design. AI runs locally, right on the machine, allowing it to essentially learn, adapt, reason and problem-solve without having to connect to the cloud. This greatly increases the performance, efficiency and security of computing while enhancing user experience.
How are AI PCs different from traditional PCs?Traditional PCs run on CPUs and GPUs (but most PCs use an integrated CPU for everyday tasks), and their essential components include a motherboard, input devices like keyboards and mice, long-term storage, and random-access (short-term) memory (RAM). While they excel at tasks such as everyday web searching, data processing and content streaming, they typically don't come with many built-in AI features — and they struggle to perform complex AI tasks due to limitations with latency, memory, storage and battery life.
[ Related: What is a GPU? Inside the processing power behind AI ]
AI PCs, by contrast, come preloaded with AI capabilities so that users can get started with the technology right out of the box. They feature integrated processors, accelerators and software specifically designed to handle complex AI workloads. While they also incorporate GPUs and CPUs, AI PCs contain a critical third engine: the neural processing unit (NPU).
5 things you should know about AI PCsNPUs perform parallel computing in a way that simulates the human brain, processing large amounts of data all at once — at trillions of operations per second (TOPS). This allows the machine to perform AI tasks much faster and more efficiently than regular PCs — and locally on the machine itself.
The key components of AI PCsThe generally agreed-upon definition of an AI PC is a PC embedded with an AI chip and algorithms specifically designed to improve the experience of AI workloads across the CPU, GPU and NPU.
All of the major PC vendors — Microsoft, Apple, Intel, AMD, Dell, HP, Lenovo — are building their own versions of AI PCs. Microsoft, which offers a line of Copilot+ AI PCs
Gartner
Benefits of AI PCsAI PCs represent a movement beyond traditional static machines that require constant human input and offer these benefits:
Enhanced productivity and computing that is truly personalizedAI has the capability to learn from what it sees and evolve based on that information; it is also increasingly agentic, meaning it can perform some approved tasks autonomously.
With AI directly integrated into a device and across various workflows, users can automate routine and repetitive tasks — such as drafting emails, scheduling meetings, compiling to-do lists, getting alerts about urgent messages, or sourcing important information from websites and databases.
Beyond that, AI PCs can support advanced content creation and real-time data processing; perform financial analysis; compile reports; enhance collaboration through voice recognition, real-time translation and transcription capabilities; and provide predictive text and writing help. Over time, AI PCs can adapt to individual workflows and eventually anticipate needs and make decisions based on user habits.
As AI agents become ever more intuitive and complex, they can serve as on-device coworkers, answering intricate business questions and helping with corporate strategy and business planning.
Reduced cloud costs, reduced latencyBuilding, training, deploying and maintaining AI models requires significant resources, and costs can quickly add up in the cloud. Running AI locally can significantly reduce cloud costs. Offline processing can also improve speed and lower latency, as data does not need to be transferred back and forth to the cloud.
Users can perform more complex tasks on-device involving natural language processing (NLP), generative AI (genAI), multimodal AI (for more advanced content generation such as 3D modeling, video, audio) and image and speech recognition.
Enhanced securitySecurity is top of mind for every enterprise today, and AI PCs can help bolster cybersecurity posture. Local processing means data stays on device (instead of being sent to cloud servers) and users have far more control over what data gets shared.
Further, AI PCs can run threat detection algorithms right on the NPU, allowing them to flag potential issues and respond more quickly. AI PCs can also be continually updated based on the latest threat intel, allowing them to adapt as cyberattackers change tactics.
Longer battery life, energy savingsWhile some AI workloads have been feasible on regular PCs, they quickly drain the battery because they require so much power. NPUs can help preserve battery life as users run more complex AI algorithms. Adding to this, they are more sustainable, as every query or prompt requires an estimated 10 times less energy compared to using the cloud.
Important considerations when considering AI PCsEven as they represent state-of-the-art, AI PCs are (not yet) for every enterprise. There are important factors IT buyers should consider, including:
While the question of whether you need an AI PC might be relevant now, that won't be the case for much longer. "The debate has moved from speculating which PCs might include AI functionality,to the expectation that most PCs will eventually integrate AI NPU capabilities," Ranjit Atwal, senior director analyst at Gartner, said last September. "As a result, NPU will become a standard feature for PC vendors."
Gartner forecasts AI PCs will represent 43% of all PC shipments by the end of the year, up from 17% in 2024. The demand for AI laptops is projected to be higher than that of AI desktops, with shipments of AI laptops to account for 51% of total laptops in 2025.
AI PCs – what's there to think about?AI PCs represent the next generation of computing, and experts predict they will soon be the only choice of laptop available to large businesses looking to refresh. But they are still in their early proving phases, and IT buyers have important considerations to keep in mind when it comes to cost, relevance and necessity.
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The End Of An AI That Shocked The World: OpenAI Retires GPT-4
One of the most influential—and by some counts, notorious—AI models yet released will soon fade into history. OpenAI announced on April 10 that GPT-4 will be "fully replaced" by GPT-4o in ChatGPT at the end of April, bringing a public-facing end to the model that accelerated a global AI race when it launched in March 2023.
"Effective April 30, 2025, GPT-4 will be retired from ChatGPT and fully replaced by GPT-4o," OpenAI wrote in its April 10 changelog for ChatGPT. While ChatGPT users will no longer be able to chat with the older AI model, the company added that "GPT-4 will still be available in the API," providing some reassurance to developers who might still be using the older model for various tasks.
The retirement marks the end of an era that began on March 14, 2023, when GPT-4 demonstrated capabilities that shocked some observers: reportedly scoring at the 90th percentile on the Uniform Bar Exam, acing AP tests, and solving complex reasoning problems that stumped previous models. Its release created a wave of immense hype—and existential panic—about AI's ability to imitate human communication and composition.
A screenshot of GPT-4's introduction to ChatGPT Plus customers from March 14, 2023. Credit: Benj Edwards / Ars Technica
While ChatGPT launched in November 2022 with GPT-3.5 under the hood, GPT-4 took AI language models to a new level of sophistication, and it was a massive undertaking to create. It combined data scraped from the vast corpus of human knowledge into a set of neural networks rumored to weigh in at a combined total of 1.76 trillion parameters, which are the numerical values that hold the data within the model.
Along the way, the model reportedly cost more than $100 million to train, according to comments by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and required vast computational resources to develop. Training the model may have involved over 20,000 high-end GPUs working in concert—an expense few organizations besides OpenAI and its primary backer, Microsoft, could afford.
Curiously, GPT-4's impact began before OpenAI's official announcement. In February 2023, Microsoft integrated its own early version of the GPT-4 model into its Bing search engine, creating a chatbot that sparked controversy when it tried to convince Kevin Roose of The New York Times to leave his wife and when it "lost its mind" in response to an Ars Technica article.
The One Skill That AI Doesn't Have That Makes Humans Irreplaceable
The One Skill That AI Doesn't Have That Makes Humans Irreplaceable
gettyIn a time when artificial intelligence can write code, analyze data, and even mimic human conversation, it's easy to wonder what's left that machines can't do. But there is one capability that continues to separate humans from machines, curiosity. AI can synthesize information faster than any person and even simulate questions based on patterns. What it cannot do is wonder. It cannot seek the unknown for its own sake. And that single skill, human curiosity, is not only irreplaceable but increasingly essential.
Curiosity fuels innovation, drives learning, and inspires the questions that lead to breakthroughs. It is curiosity that leads us to discover new medicines, re-imagine business models, and challenge the status quo. As Bill Gates noted in his book, Source Code: My Beginnings, "Curiosity can't be satisfied in a vacuum, of course. It requires nurturing, resources, guidance, support." He credits his parents for answering his endless stream of questions and encouraging his interests, turning a natural trait into a lifelong advantage. That kind of support is what AI lacks, and what humans thrive on.
Why Curiosity Matters More in the Age of AI
getty Why Curiosity Matters More in the Age of AIThere was a time when knowing the answers made someone valuable. But now, having the right questions is what sets leaders apart. AI is trained to find answers from data it already has. Humans can ask the questions no one thought to explore.
This is where curiosity becomes a leadership differentiator. It opens the door to better decisions, more inclusive workplaces, and adaptable cultures. In a world that prizes efficiency, curiosity may feel like a luxury, but it's a survival skill. And while AI can process vast datasets, it lacks the desire to challenge assumptions or explore without instruction.
What AI Curiosity Really Means And What It Misses
getty What AI Curiosity Really Means And What It MissesThere is such a thing as "artificial curiosity." In fact, one of the more interesting AI experiments came from researchers trying to teach machines how to learn autonomously. In a well-known study, researchers gave an AI agent the goal of exploring levels of a Mario Brothers–style video game without being told what the reward was. The AI used an intrinsic motivation model to keep exploring new territory. It looked like curiosity—but it wasn't. It was a reward function.
When I interviewed Dr. Cindy Gordon, CEO of SalesChoice and a global AI thought leader, she emphasized that AI models only reflect the data and the parameters we give them. What appears to be innovation is actually optimization. "AI doesn't think in the abstract or emotional layers that humans do," she said. "It follows what it's fed."
That means true curiosity, the kind that challenges the premise of the question itself, is still uniquely human.
How Curiosity Powers Strategic Thinking In The AI-Focused Workplace
getty How Curiosity Powers Strategic Thinking In The AI-Focused WorkplaceWhen I spoke with futurist and sociobiologist Rebecca Costa, she explained that adaptation happens faster when individuals are curious. Her work has shown that the most successful leaders are not necessarily those with the most knowledge, but those with the most drive to explore what they don't know yet.
In complex environments, it's not possible to know everything. Curiosity fills the gap. It helps professionals make sense of uncertainty by asking better questions. It fuels resilience, because the curious mind doesn't get stuck when plans shift, it gets interested. This mindset is critical in an era where AI automates the predictable and humans must master the uncertain.
Why Curiosity Needs Support To Thrive And AI Doesn't
getty Why Curiosity Needs Support To Thrive And AI Doesn'tUnlike machines, humans need a supportive environment to explore. That includes psychological safety, leadership encouragement, and a culture that rewards questions rather than just answers. Curiosity declines when people are punished for speaking up or when their ideas are routinely ignored.
AI does not require motivation, safety, or encouragement to run its models. But humans do. That means organizations that want to stay competitive must invest in the conditions that keep curiosity alive. That includes hiring for openness, recognizing inquiry, and modeling exploration from the top down.
Curiosity Can't Be Coded Like AI, But It Can Be Cultivated
getty Curiosity Can't Be Coded Like AI, But It Can Be CultivatedOne of the biggest myths is that people are either curious or they aren't. In reality, curiosity is a muscle. It can be developed with practice and supported through leadership. When organizations create space for reflection, learning, and experimentation, they cultivate a workforce that can adapt, and even thrive, alongside AI.
As Dr. Gordon shared during our conversation, the future will belong to those who can collaborate with AI while still thinking beyond its capabilities. That's why curiosity isn't a soft skill. It's a strategic skill. It helps people interpret nuance, evaluate risk, and consider second-order consequences that machines might miss.
Neuroscientist Beau Lotto, who I interviewed about perception and creativity, adds another layer. He explained that true curiosity is driven by a desire to resolve uncertainty, not just collect information. In other words, curiosity is about the courage to confront the unknown and challenge what we believe to be true.
What Leaders Must Do To Prioritize Human Curiosity In An AI World
getty What Leaders Must Do To Prioritize Human Curiosity In An AI WorldLeaders can't assume that curiosity will happen on its own. It must be intentional. That starts with:
In short, if your employees feel they must always be right, they will never ask the bold questions that lead to real breakthroughs.
Curiosity Is What Makes Us Human And More Valuable Than AI
getty Curiosity Is What Makes Us Human And More Valuable Than AIThe rise of AI doesn't diminish the value of human talent. It redefines it. The best professionals won't be the ones who memorize the most or respond the fastest. They will be the ones who know how to pause, wonder, and look beyond the obvious. AI may power the future, but curiosity shapes it. And that's a distinctly human advantage worth protecting.
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