Before disclosing more AI plans, Apple, which had recently abandoned car manufacturing, launched a new Macbook Air that was seen by the outside world as an AI computer.
On March 6th, Apple's new Macbook Air equipped with M3 chips began ordering. As usual, Apple has updated the existing 13 inch and 15 inch specifications, with a maximum battery life of 18 hours and a starting price of 7999 yuan.
The M3 chip is the highlight of this update, leading this product line to unleash Apple's imagination and energy related to AI on the iPhone. Its processing speed is up to 1.6 times faster than the M1 chip model, and up to 13 times faster than the Intel processor version.
The company emphasized the dynamic caching function of the M3 chip GPU, which can improve performance in professional apps and games. The AI performance of its neural network engine supports macOS to provide many intelligent functions, such as camera function, real-time voice to text conversion, translation, text prediction, visual understanding, auxiliary functions, etc.
Apple did not elaborate on the AI performance application of this product on its Chinese official website, but provided a more detailed explanation on its US official website. For example, users can use AI features on this computer in applications such as Goodnotes 6, Pixelmaker Pro, CapCut, etc., including AI assisted inspection tasks, automatic photo optimization, and background noise removal.
Based on the unified memory architecture of the M3 chip, users can run optimized AI models on the new Macbook Air, including large language models and discrete models for local image generation.
In addition, MacBook Air also supports cloud based solutions, allowing users to run creative applications that leverage AI performance, such as Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Canva, Adobe Firefly, and more.
The reason why Apple erases relevant explanations in domestic press releases is usually due to careful consideration, including limitations of the application itself and different national laws and regulations. However, the company's confidence in the AI performance of this new computer is already evident, and even wrote in the relevant introduction, "Worlds Best Consumer Laptop for AI.".
In fact, this is the first time Apple has emphasized the AI performance of a product so clearly. Previously, neither the M3 chip nor the MacBook Pro equipped with this chip were released, and the company had not made AI a core highlight.
However, the M-series chips are indeed an important underlying layout of this technology giant in its AI strategy. Based on the hardware modules integrated with its CPU and GPU to accelerate machine learning, as well as the neural engine inherent in the chip, the chip can enhance the AI performance of the device.
Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at Counterpoint, told Interface News that previous models such as M2 could also provide varying degrees of AI applications, but M3 has improved performance and energy efficiency. Apple's emphasis on M3 in AI applications is also indicating its accelerated pace towards AI.
After the failure of the car making project, the importance of AI to Apple is self-evident. At a recent shareholder meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that he will disclose more plans to use generative artificial intelligence later this year. He believes that generative artificial intelligence has incredible breakthrough potential.
In the industry, AI PC has also become a rising mainstream trend.
On the one hand, upstream processor manufacturers such as Intel and AMD have clearly expressed their importance and investment plans for AI PCs. Last October, Intel announced the official launch of its first AI PC acceleration program, which will bring AI features to over one million PCs by 2025.
On the other hand, PC manufacturers are also sniffing opportunities and accelerating the development of products with AI performance. Among them, Microsoft is expected to launch a device called "AI personal computer" by the end of March, while manufacturers such as Honor and Asus have already added the concept of "AI PC" to their products.
Based on the performance of existing products, AI PCs and AI smartphones are showing a similar trend, mainly reflected in system level AI experience optimization, as well as application level auxiliary tools or generative AI tools. Therefore, it shares almost the same advantages and disadvantages as AI phones, that is, it can improve the experience to some extent, but in the early stages of relatively limited application scenarios, users will not have a strong perception of AI.
But this does not affect the market's high expectations for AI PCs. The global PC industry has experienced three consecutive years of double-digit decline, and AI PC is a valuable turning point.
The latest report from market research firm IDC predicts that AI PC shipments will approach 50 million units in 2024 and grow to 167 million units by 2027, accounting for approximately 60% of global PC shipments. As a comparison, Canalys data shows that the total global shipment of desktop and laptop computers in 2023 was 247 million units.
Ivan Lam believes that the application of AI on the PC end will be fully launched. The organization predicts that by 2025, the sales share of AI laptops will reach 50%. In addition to the main CPU and GPU, PCs will be equipped with at least one NPU or AI accelerator (AI engine).
But he also stated that the current competitive landscape is still in its initial stage, and manufacturers have not established clear advantages. Next, manufacturers will optimize their software and hardware for AI applications of their products. In addition, the global awareness, market share, and sales volume of the brand itself are also direct factors that affect the establishment of advantages.
Whether considering the development laws of technology itself or seeking new market opportunities for products at different stages, the combination of PC and AI is almost an irreversible trend, and PC manufacturers will not let this opportunity slip away. This also means that companies that can produce truly "killer" AI PCs faster have the capital to seize more opportunities.