Microsoft soon plans to release a new version of Windows 11 called 24H2.
This update will launch along with new AI PCs and features like AI Explorer, which lets you search your PC using natural language. According to the latest info from Albacore on X, the new feature will initially only work on Arm CPUs which is bad news for AMD and Intel.
Turns out Windows 11 build 26100 (purported 24H2 RTM) contains the AI Explorer requirements 📃 baked into the OS
💠 ARM64 CPU
💠 16GiB of RAM
💠 225GiB system drive (total, not free space)
💠 Snapdragon X Elite NPU (HWID QCOM0D0A)
I guess that's one way to drive ARM64 adoption 😶🌫️ pic.twitter.com/ZbQf4KY1BN— Albacore ☁️ (@thebookisclosed) April 18, 2024
Microsoft is currently testing Windows 11 24H2, and some users have shared the system requirements for AI Explorer on X, noting that an Arm CPU will be needed at launch. This could mean Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon X Elite CPU, due out later this year, could be used. Intel and AMD CPUs might be left out because Qualcomm’s neural processing unit (NPU) is reportedly more powerful.
The NPU in Intel’s Meteor Lake processors can perform around 10 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), while AMD’s NPU is around 16 TOPS. Qualcomm claims its NPU can perform 45 TOPS. Intel has stated that 40 TOPS are needed for a computer to be considered an “AI PC,” but that TOPS count is spread across the CPU, GPU, and NPU, while Qualcomm’s NPU alone can provide that power.
The system requirements were found in the RTM version of Windows 11, which is nearly final. It could change before the public release, but if not, it may impact AMD and Intel, which have been promoting their AI hardware capabilities. Both want to lead in AI, but Qualcomm’s entry into the PC market could disrupt their plans.
More information will be available on May 20, when Microsoft is expected to unveil updated Surface PCs with Arm-based Qualcomm processors.