Intel's Lunar Lake processors to power a new era of AI PCs later this year; see details

Get ready for a surge in AI-powered laptops this holiday season. Intel has announced that its upcoming Lunar Lake processors will power over 80 new laptop designs from over 20 manufacturers, ushering in a new era of AI PCs capable of running Microsoft's Copilot+ experiences.

Lunar Lake is poised to be a game-changer for mobile AI processing, boasting a threefold increase in AI performance compared to its predecessor. With a powerful neural processing unit (NPU) exceeding 40 tera operations per second (TOPS), Lunar Lake will deliver the muscle needed to run Copilot+ features like Recall seamlessly.

"With breakthrough power efficiency, the trusted compatibility of the x86 architecture and the industry’s deepest catalogue of software enablement across the CPU, GPU and NPU, we will deliver the most competitive joint client hardware and software offering in our history with Lunar Lake and Copilot+," says Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group.

This focus on AI performance aligns with the increasing demand for PCs that can handle complex AI tasks locally, without relying on cloud processing. Lunar Lake's NPU, along with its over 60 GPU TOPS, will combine to deliver more than 100 platform TOPS, ensuring a smooth and responsive AI experience.

Microsoft, a key partner in this endeavour, has expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming launch. "The launch of Lunar Lake will bring meaningful fundamental improvements across security, battery life, and more thanks to our deep co-engineering partnership with Intel," said Pavan Davuluri, corporate vice president of Windows + Devices at Microsoft. "We are excited to see Lunar Lake come to market with a 40+ TOPS NPU which will deliver Microsoft’s Copilot+ experiences at scale when available.”

Intel is also fostering a robust software ecosystem for AI PCs. Through its AI PC Acceleration Program, the company is collaborating with over 100 independent software vendors to enhance AI experiences across various domains, including personal assistants, audio effects, content creation, gaming, security, streaming, and video collaboration.