Intel’s Arrow Lake Refresh With Upgraded NPU to Deliver Microsoft Copilot+ Options to Desktop PCs: Report

Intel is getting ready to refresh its Arrow Lake processors later this 12 months, and the brand new CPUs might lastly supply assist for Microsoft Copilot+ options on desktop computer systems, in response to a report. Desktop PCs with Intel processors do not have entry to Microsoft’s AI options on Windows not like Copilot+ licensed laptops, together with these outfitted with Arm-based chips from Qualcomm. This might change, due to upgraded neural processing unit (NPU) that’s mentioned to be crucial a part of the upcoming Arrow Lake CPU refresh, anticipated to reach later this 12 months.

Intel to Introduce new NPU 4 Design With Arrow Lake Refresh

While the Arrow Lake lineup that arrived final 12 months introduced some notable enhancements to warmth administration and energy effectivity over the Raptor Lake CPUs, the processors couldn’t ship 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which is Microsoft’s requirement for Copilot+ options to be supported on PCs.

It seems to be like customers preferring to make use of Intel CPUs and need entry to Copilot+ options on their Windows 11 laptop will lastly have an choice to take action later this 12 months, when the chipmaker launches refreshed variations of its Intel Core Ultra 200 processors. According to a ZDNet Korea report (in Korean), these CPUs can be outfitted with a brand new NPU 4 know-how.

Intel’s Lunar Lake processors for laptops already supply assist for Copilot+ AI options, and these chips are mentioned to make use of the identical NPU structure because the chipmaker’s upcoming Arrow Lake refresh. If the claims made within the report are correct, prospects will quickly be capable to buy desktop computer systems with entry to on-device AI options which are at present supported on a number of laptops.

Copilot+ PCs supply assist for a number of on-device AI options, together with Microsoft’s contentious Recall function that takes screenshots of a consumer’s exercise whereas utilizing their laptop and permits them to seek for data. This function was lastly rolled out to Copilot+ PCs earlier this 12 months.

The solely notable improve to the refreshed Arrow Lake processors is likely to be the NPU, in response to the publication. This implies that prospects should not count on to see main enhancements to CPU or GPU efficiency, when the processors are unveiled later this 12 months. More particulars concerning the up to date CPUs are anticipated to floor on-line within the coming months, forward of their anticipated debut.