Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Written by: Nik Faiz Nik Ruzman, Journalist, AOPG.

It seems like everyone’s jumping on the AI hype train, for better or worse, and now we’re seeing the rise of AI-powered PCs hitting the market. Dell Technologies has thrown its hat into the ring, looking to push the boundaries with its latest lineup, promising to reshape the way we work.

At the Dell Tech-It-Easy Webinar, they touted Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the future of business computing, promising everything from enhanced productivity to cutting-edge security. Yet, with all this tech packed into a single PC, one can’t help but wonder – are these AI PCs truly a necessity, or are they just overhyped, expensive machines that most employees would find close-to-similar benefits with cheaper solutions?

Today’s Statistic Forecast: Dell’s AI Predictions

Dell’s projections paint a compelling picture of where AI in the workplace is heading.

The tech giant confidently forecasts that by 2027, nearly 60% of all PCs will be AI-powered. And with 76% of IT and business leaders believing in the transformative value of GenAI, it seems businesses are gearing up for an AI-infused future.

Other than that, they have also claimed that 80% of workers are already using GenAI in some capacity, and 63% indicated that they’ve used it for work.

So, what do these numbers tell you, exactly? Well, if AI PCs, as Dell forecasts with immense sang-froid, heavily overrun operations across various fields, then we’re looking at a world where problems can be solved and more than half of repetitive work that consumes employees’ time is swept away with just a few clicks. It’s a generation of absolute innovation.

But just like any other company that tries to pitch its products to a massive audience in a single medium, it comes with a great sense of urgency beneath the boldness and excitement, which suggests businesses must rapidly adopt AI or risk being left behind.

While Dell forecasts that 60% of PCs will be AI-enabled by 2027, this feels more like an aggressive push to sell future-proof hardware, especially since many organisations haven’t yet fully embraced or secured their current AI systems.

And with another statistic presented by Dell, which states that 45% of companies still lag in terms of implementing a robust GenAI policy, it just shows that our digital landscape is still very fragile, highlighting a significant oversight in governance, potentially leading to security risks and inefficiencies.

Setting the Stage: What Is an AI PC and Why Is Dell Pushing for It?

Dell’s AI PCs are being marketed as game changers for the modern workplace, but what exactly makes these machines different?

At its core, an AI PC is a machine designed to handle the growing demands of AI. In Dell’s vision, these PCs integrate three key components – a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and a new key component to accommodate this concept; a Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

The NPU is where the magic happens, the real star of the show. It offloads AI workloads from the CPU, allowing for quicker and more efficient processing of tasks such as speech recognition, real-time translation, and other AI-driven applications.

However, let’s not undermine the other components of AI PCs, since they are just as important as NPU to keep this beast running at full speed. Of course, the CPU is the workhorse that manages general-purpose tasks; nothing new here.

The GPU, the graphics processor that is traditionally used for gaming or design, is now the key player in AI. Dell highlighted NVIDIA’s RT cores, which offer up to 30 times faster performance than CPUs for AI-specific tasks like deep learning.

Dell’s AI PCs are powered by high-performance Intel HX, Xeon, or AMD Threadripper Pro CPUs, with the option of pairing them with NVIDIA RTX 5000 GPUs or higher for even more intensive AI workloads. Dell also offers Precision AI-ready workstations for businesses that need scalable AI performance.

These systems can be configured with up to 4 NVIDIA 6000 Ada GPUs in a single workstation, and they offer dynamic configurability, allowing users to adjust RAM, storage, and GPU specifications based on their needs.

Not only that, but AI-enabled security features are built in to aid protections against advanced threats. Windows 11 security enhancements have resulted in a 58% reduction in security incidents. This includes Intel’s vPro technology, which Dell claims reduces the attack surface by 70% compared to older PCs. The added security layers, combined with the local processing of AI tasks, offer a compelling argument for businesses that handle sensitive information.

The result of this piece? Improved performance, better battery life, and enhanced security, since AI tasks are handled locally, avoiding cloud dependence. Dell has even claimed 38% better power efficiency during Zoom calls and 14% faster operations when using MATLAB for scientific computing in the pitch for this technology.

This says a lot about where these AI PCs are supposed to be navigated towards—data scientists for faster ML model training and data analysis, healthcare for AI-powered diagnostics and real-time medical data analysis, or even creative professionals for heavy video editing, 3D rendering, and AI-enhanced design tools.

Call it for what it is, but from the way it seems, this is why Dell is pitching AI PCs as ‘advanced machines designed to bring the next level of AI capabilities directly to your desk.’

Two AIs In the Pot: Is Microsoft Copilot the Cherry on Top?

Microsoft’s Copilot is another AI-driven feature that has been integrated into Windows 11, designed to help users boost productivity by automating routine tasks. From drafting documents to analysing data and improving collaboration, Copilot is a powerful tool.

However, Microsoft has clarified that some of these advanced AI capabilities, such as Paint Cocreator and Windows Studio Effects, require an NPU with 40+ TOPS to work as intended. Without NPUs, these features may not function properly, if at all. So while Copilot may be bundled with regular laptops or PCs, to fully unlock its potential, an NPU-powered AI PC might still be necessary.

This raises the question: Are AI PCs really necessary if you can get many of the same productivity-boosting features with a regular laptop running Windows 11 with Copilot?

One thing to bear in mind is that while standard Windows 11 PCs with Copilot come equipped with built-in AI features, such as natural language queries and app integrations, these systems will still depend more heavily on conventional CPU and GPU power, which may not be as fast as dedicated AI hardware.

In contrast, AI PCs, particularly those powered by ARM or Qualcomm chips, offer superior battery life, quieter fanless designs, and more rapid AI processing capabilities due to specialised components.

For businesses needing the full range of AI capabilities, investing in an AI PC might still be justified, but for the average worker using more basic AI features such as chatbots, speech-to-text transcriptions, image recognition or even a light to medium load of data analysis, a regular laptop could suffice.

Sure, businesses that need to run intensive AI workloads locally may benefit from Dell’s AI PCs, but for many, the cloud or pre-built AI solutions might be a more cost-effective approach.

Reflect Yourselves: Is Your Current Goal Aligned with The Value of Investments?

Undoubtedly, Dell’s AI PCs come packed with impressive features and are marketed as future-proof solutions for businesses ready to dive headfirst into AI. They offer powerful hardware configurations, refined security robustness, and the ability to run AI tasks locally, which reduces latency and increases data protection.

But for most companies, especially those using pre-built models or cloud-based AI services, investing in such high-end hardware may not be necessary. The real question for businesses isn’t, “How much will AI cost?” but rather, “How do we integrate AI in a way that makes sense for us?”

Whether through cloud-based AI or AI PCs, the key is finding the right balance between power, security, cost and—most importantly—business objectives.

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