Apple unveils powerful M4 chip at 'Let Loose' event, promises AI revolution

Apple took the stage at its much-anticipated "Let Loose" event on Tuesday to reveal its latest breakthrough: the M4 chip. Promising a big shift in performance and functionality, the M4 chip is slated to spearhead Apple's next generation of devices, with the iPad Pro leading the charge.

Amid speculations of a "true AI-powered device," Apple confirmed that the forthcoming OLED iPad Pro will be powered by the formidable M4 chip, meticulously engineered to elevate the user experience to unprecedented heights within the iPadOS ecosystem. Emphasising its unwavering commitment to advancing artificial intelligence (AI), Apple showcased the M4's groundbreaking capabilities, placing a spotlight on its revolutionary neural engine—a veritable powerhouse tailored to excel in AI-related tasks.

According to Apple, the M4's neural engine boasts a staggering performance boost, purportedly surpassing its predecessor, the A11's Neural Processing Unit (NPU), by a staggering margin of 60 times. Such astronomical gains in processing power position the M4 chip as a formidable contender against established AI heavyweights, including Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.

The announcement of the M4 chip arrives hot on the heels of Microsoft's impending Windows and Surface AI event scheduled for May 20th in Seattle. With speculation rife about the unveiling of new Arm-powered hardware, anticipation mounts as tech enthusiasts eagerly await Microsoft's response to Apple's latest gambit.

Forecasts suggest that Microsoft's bet on Windows on Arm, bolstered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon X Elite processors, could potentially challenge Apple's dominance in both CPU performance and AI-accelerated tasks, particularly with the MacBook Air M3 laptops firmly in its crosshairs.