Microsoft Launches AI-Driven Copilot+ PCs

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the introduction of Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs, which are AI-first laptops with various AI-powered features. It also mentions Nvidia's plans to launch Copilot+-compatible RTX AI PCs.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Copilot+ PCs

1. What are the key features of Copilot+ PCs?

• Recall: Enables users to search their activities in apps, documents, and websites to find topics discussed or items viewed
• Cocreator: Generates images from text prompts using on-device models
• Live Captions: Generates subtitles for English-language audio in any of 40 languages

2. What is the software stack for Copilot+ PCs?

• Windows Copilot Runtime: Includes Copilot Library (a set of APIs that call more than 40 models that run on-device) and DiskANN (a set of search algorithms that quickly sort through a vector database)

3. What are the hardware specifications of Copilot+ PCs?

• Based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor with 10 or 12 CPU cores, a GPU, and a neural processing unit (NPU) that accelerates neural networks

[02] Nvidia's Response

1. What are Nvidia's plans for Copilot+-compatible PCs?

• Nvidia plans to launch Copilot+-compatible RTX AI PCs that run Nvidia's own toolkit for calling and customizing models with on-device GPUs
• These computers will initially be built by Asus and MSI based on AMD CPUs, and will eventually deliver all Copilot+ features

2. How does Nvidia criticize Microsoft's NPU specification?

• Nvidia claims that Microsoft's NPU specification, which calls for 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS), is only enough to process basic AI workloads
• Nvidia's game-focused GPUs deliver more than 1,000 TOPS

[03] Significance

1. Why is Microsoft's Copilot+ PC specification significant?

• Microsoft is betting that on-device AI will change the PC experience
• The Copilot+ PC specification gives developers a versatile toolkit for adding AI to existing apps and opens the door to new functionality like Recall

2. What are the benefits of the growing presence of AI accelerators in consumer devices?

• Brings significant privacy benefits for consumers
• Opens exciting new opportunities for developers