Comment Microsoft has talked up the role played by neural processing units (NPUs) in making Windows more “intelligent,” even though the silicon is not currently on the hardware requirements list.
Tested: Microsoft Recall can still capture credit cards and passwords, a treasure trove for crooks
NPUs, typically built into the CPU package, are hardware looking for a software application to make them indispensable. Designed to speed up local inference and do it at lower power, they are found in a variety of devices from smartphones to Copilot+ PCs, and, according to the Windows giant, “allow Microsoft and other manufacturers to offer sophisticated AI experiences on devices with a more affordable price point.”
Microsoft adds: “What once required compute that cost thousands of dollars can now be done on a device with options that cost hundreds, making the technology more accessible to a wider cohort of people.”
>A few OS features require local processing, though none greatly boost productivity
The problem is, for everyday users, there’s little benefit right now to local AI processing. It’s something Microsoft tacitly admits. “Because of its architecture, the NPU puts Copilot+ PCs in the best position to be ready for when more advanced developments become available.”
And this, as far as the Windows maker is concerned, is the problem. Other than bolstering the bottom line of hardware vendors, what benefit do customers get from having AI hardware in their laptops?
A few OS features require local processing, though none greatly boost productivity. Perhaps Microsoft’s privacy-punching Recall, an opt-in function that keeps a searchable log of user activity, is the most noteworthy.
Or there’s Semantic Windows Search, where queries can use natural language. However, many users would probably have preferred Microsoft to fix the existing Windows Search functionality.
Microsoft has been integrating AI functionality into other apps, such as Notepad and Photos, all of which can or will utilize local NPU capabilities. However, users didn’t ask for these changes, and unless simulated eye contact, part of the Windows Studio Effects feature for webcams, counts as a must-have, there’s still no killer app.
And yet Microsoft continues to push it relentlessly.
“The road to developing the NPU for Copilot+ PCs started years ago with the Surface Hub 2 Smart Camera,” says Microsoft.
The latest big new thing for Microsoft is AI agents in Windows. The agent in Settings already accepts natural language prompts, such as “My mouse is too small,” and provides relevant suggestions. “Soon the team envisions on-device agents taking on even more complex tasks,” Microsoft says.
“Ultimately, one of the biggest benefits of the NPU is being able to run multiple AI-driven applications like these and others simultaneously. While other generative AI features are based on large language models and need the cloud to work, small language models are what run on an NPU.”
Other than some vague references about agents and Click To Do (soon to include “the option to create a bulleted list from selected text”), there remains no clear clue as to what these “multiple AI-driven applications” will be.
Er. Why do we need it again?
However, as Microsoft adds more functionality into Windows that requires an NPU but offers precious little in terms of user experience, it is also hard to escape a worry that by praising the technology’s wonders, the company might be softening up its customers for its eventual decision to add NPUs to its hardware requirements list.
The Register asked Microsoft if it had any plans to add AI hardware to its compatibility list – the same list that made millions of Windows 10 machines obsolete thanks to CPU and TPM requirements that could not be met. The company told us it had nothing to share.
Esben Dochy of Lansweeper told us that it was “not certain” whether there would be requirements for AI hardware in the future, and also noted that companies would assess the technology by workforce efficiency and cost savings.
Marie-Christine Pygott, a senior analyst at Context, told The Register that there had been improvements in the growth and share of Copilot+ PCs, although she noted that the “growth comes from a small base” and had been driven more by marketing, promotions, and price cuts rather than Microsoft’s promises of productivity gains.
One driver, according to Pygott, was buyers looking for a way to future-proof purchases. Yes, a must-have application for AI could be years away, but having an NPU now would prevent them from having to upgrade again sooner rather than later.
Microsoft has already forced one hardware refresh with the hardware requirements for Windows 11. Even though an NPU and local AI processing are inessential for many users, enterprises would be forgiven for worrying that Microsoft might decide to revisit the hardware requirements in its pursuit of AI adoption. After all, according to Pygott’s figures, AI-enabled notebooks (featuring an NPU irrespective of TOPS) accounted for 40.5 percent of the European distribution channel in early September.
This share is likely to rise, making adding a requirement for an NPU in a future version of Windows a distinct possibility. After all, it’ll be difficult to avoid an AI-equipped device before long. That said, the legions of Windows 10 users with obsolete hardware might want a word.
As somebody once said: “I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further.” ®
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