Recently, the shipment of AI PCs has been rapidly increasing, thanks to the collective efforts of chip manufacturers like Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD. These companies are driving PCs equipped with neural processing units (NPUs) into the mainstream market, enabling AI computing power directly on personal computers. In addition to the consumer market, businesses and developers are also actively seeking to upgrade their computers, making this upgrade cycle one of the largest in history. Image source notes: The image was generated by AI, image licensed from service provider Midjourney.

At the IFA 2024 exhibition, Intel announced the launch of the Lunar Lake processor series, aiming to reach a target of 100 million AI PC shipments by the end of 2025. Data shows that shipments of AI PCs equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors doubled in the second quarter of 2024, exceeding 15 million units. Canalys predicts that the share of AI PCs in the Windows PC market will increase from less than 10% in 2024 to 30% in 2025.

Intel has unveiled its first Lunar Lake mobile processor at the IFA conference, achieving Microsoft's Copilot+ performance targets. This chip offers up to 120 TOPS of AI computing power, significantly improving performance by 14% for core clock instructions and 68% for efficiency core performance, with graphics processing performance up about 50% compared to the previous generation. Compared to AMD, Lunar Lake performs similarly in graphics-intensive tasks like gaming but with approximately 30% lower power consumption. In terms of performance, it outperforms Qualcomm.

In Q2 2024, global AI PC shipments reached 8.8 million units, accounting for 14% of total PC shipments, showcasing rapid market growth. AI PCs include desktops and laptops equipped with advanced chipsets, such as NPUs. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X series chips and Copilot+PC signify a new stage in AI PC development. It is expected that shipments will significantly increase in the second half of the year, with total shipments for 2024 projected to reach 44 million units, and it is anticipated to exceed 100 million units by 2025. Apple leads the AI PC market with its Mac products.

According to preliminary data from Counterpoint, the global PC market showed signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2024, with shipments increasing by 3.1% year-over-year to reach 62.5 million units. This growth will be driven primarily by the replacement cycle and a low base period, indicating a sustained recovery momentum in the market. AI PC has become the hottest topic in the PC industry, and it is expected that the AI PC boom will arrive in the second half of 2024. Apple is looking forw

Consumer GPU shipments grew 32% year-over-year, reaching 9.5 million units. AI PCs are not the primary factor driving the sales growth of GPUs. AMD saw the largest growth in the holiday quarter, while Nvidia maintains market dominance. Analysts expect the market to remain stable, with Nvidia and AMD launching new GPUs.

PC manufacturers Quanta, Compal, and Inventec initially estimated that after the launch of their AI PC new products in the third quarter, the entire laptop supply market would experience a wave of strong replacement demand. However, following recent improvements in the upstream and downstream supply chain shortages, they revised their previously optimistic outlook to a more conservative one. The estimated peak growth period is projected to be from next year to the year after. The demand for laptops has gradually become evident, showing a year-on-year growth of 3.6%, and PC shipments are expected to stop declining and rebound.

At Apple's annual shareholder meeting, Cook discussed AI and asserted that the best AI PC is a Mac. He indicated that generative artificial intelligence holds breakthrough potential, and Apple is making significant investments in the AI sector. Apple's products utilize AI technology, and the company has halted its car production efforts, redirecting employees to AIGC projects. A survey by American Bank suggests that AIGC will lead to a strong iPhone upgrade cycle.

Cook discusses the importance of AI at Apple's annual shareholder meeting, Apple's investments in generative artificial intelligence, examples of AI technology used in Apple products, an analysis of the impact of AIGC by US Bank, and analysts' expectations that AIGC will drive smartphone upgrades and consumer feedback survey results on Vision Pro.

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Intel has launched the new vPro commercial AI PC, which is based on the Core Ultra processors and 14th Gen Core processors, boasting a 12-fold increase in AI professional performance. The AI PC requires the Core Ultra processor and is aimed at the commercial sector. Intel offers two processor platforms for the Core Ultra AI PC, which can achieve performance increases of up to 2.2 times in commercial scenarios. The Intel vPro platform offers a high return on investment, with over 100 new commercial AI PCs being released from various well-known partners.

Lenovo Group unveiled the new ThinkPad and ThinkBook business AI PCs at MWC 2024. The new AI PCs feature the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and come with the Windows 11 operating system. The company introduced software solutions, including Lenovo Identity Advisor and Smart Connect. Lenovo also showcased the latest concept product, the ThinkBook Transparent Screen Laptop, revolutionizing user experience.

Honor has launched the first AI PC, the Honor MagicBook Pro 16, which is the world's first laptop with spatial audio on the Windows platform. The integration of large AI models into terminal devices will promote the commercialization of these models. The AI PC is regarded as the best carrier for large models and represents the biggest technological transformation in the PC industry over the past decade. AI PCs will inject new momentum into the PC industry ecosystem and drive revenue growth for mid-stream OEMs and brand manufacturers.

AMD unveiled the Ryzen 8000G series processors at CES 2024, emphasizing the incorporation of XDNA NPU acceleration. This new series features Zen 4 cores, RDNA 3 graphics, and XDNA NPU, demonstrating exceptional performance particularly in local AI inference. The Ryzen 78700G and Ryzen 58600G come equipped with Ryzen AI NPU, while the Ryzen 58500G and Ryzen 38300G lack this feature. Consumers expect AMD to clearly indicate which models support the NPU.

By 2027, AI PCs are expected to account for over 60% of the PC market, with commercial applications becoming the primary focus. Leading PC manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo plan to launch a range of AI-accelerated new models in 2024. Chip manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, Apple, and Qualcomm are working to integrate dedicated AI acceleration modules into CPUs to enhance edge AI performance.

Microsoft is preparing to upgrade its Surface product line with new artificial intelligence features. The Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 will be equipped with next-gen neural processing units (NPUs), powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X chipset for Arm-based devices. The future Surface Pro will feature a brighter display and anti-glare coating, while the Surface Laptop 6 will sport a larger display and new ports.

Google introduces the Chromebook Plus, actively challenging Microsoft's efforts in the AI PC sector. Acer launches the first commercial Chromebook Plus 514, equipped with AI applications, marking Google's growth in the business field. As a competitor in the AI PC space, Google showcases its strong capabilities in the smart notebook sector. The launch of Chromebook Plus 514 is part of Acer's strategic adjustment in the commercial sector, focusing on incorporating AI technology to meet the needs of business users.

AI PC Emergence: The arrival of AI PCs will accelerate the PC upgrade wave. Chip giants like Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are positioning themselves in the AI PC market to seize opportunities. Defining AI PC: The first generation of AI PCs will prioritize high computing power, with NPU and a standard configuration of over 40 TOPS. The first wave of AI PCs: The commercialization of large models is primarily reflected in the search engine battle, which has prompted the emergence of AI PCs. Is there a Savior for PCs?: 2024 is recognized as the Year of AI PC. The industry has high hopes that AI PCs will help the PC market.

Intel has launched the 'AI PC Acceleration Program' to enhance AI computing capabilities through the Core Ultra series laptop processors. Intel is collaborating with over 100 brand partners to jointly推出 more than 300 AI-powered applications and services. The Core Ultra series laptop processors will be officially launched on December 14, with more software functionalities utilizing AI technology expected to be released. Intel aims to attract more developers to fully leverage the Core Ultra series processors to create more AI applications.

Qunzhi Consulting predicts that global AI PC shipments will reach 13 million units in 2024. As AI technology develops, the demand for human-computer interaction increases, requiring display panels to provide more added-value features. Key component suppliers are increasing investments in AI PCs, and new product lines for commercial use will emerge. The release of AI CPUs and Windows 12 in 2024 will mark the beginning of large-scale AI PC shipments. From 2025 to 2027, AI PCs are expected to maintain double-digit annual growth rates, becoming mainstream PC products.