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AI PCs: Is the Hype Over Before It Began?
13 Jan
Summary
- Microsoft's "AI PC" vision faces confusion at CES 2026.
- NPU importance is downplayed as focus shifts to GPUs and CPUs.
- Windows AI Foundry will use GPUs/CPUs, not NPUs for AI tasks.
Microsoft's proclamation that all Windows 11 PCs would be 'AI PCs' is encountering a significant disconnect at CES 2026. The industry, particularly with a strong NPU push from Intel, has seemingly caught up to Microsoft's requirements for Copilot+ PCs. However, the company itself is now downplaying the importance of NPUs, leaving hardware partners in a puzzling position.
This shift is further evidenced by the Windows AI Foundry, which will leverage GPUs and CPUs for AI applications rather than NPUs. This move contrasts with the initial Copilot Runtime and raises doubts about the future relevance of NPUs, despite their widespread integration into new hardware showcased at CES 2026.
This divergence raises critical questions: Did Microsoft's strategy pivot just as its partners delivered on the NPU promise? With fewer applications designed to exploit NPUs and a stated focus on more versatile hardware for AI, the urgency behind the NPU push seems diminished, creating uncertainty around the core 'AI PC' concept.
