Key Points
- Copilot+ PCs are a new class of Windows 11 hardware powered by a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that can perform over 40 trillion operations per second.
- These PCs provide all-day battery life and access to advanced AI features and models, including real-time translations and image generation.
- Developers can access the NPU on Copilot+ PCs using Windows ML, which simplifies and optimizes the developer experience for AI workloads on Windows devices.
Microsoft has introduced Copilot+ PCs, a new class of Windows 11 hardware that leverages the power of a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The NPU is a specialized computer chip designed for AI-intensive processes, enabling tasks such as real-time translations and image generation to be performed more efficiently. Copilot+ PCs are powered by the Arm-based Snapdragon Elite X+ chip, which emphasizes AI integration through its industry-leading NPU. This chip can process large amounts of data in parallel, performing trillions of operations per second, while using energy more efficiently than a CPU or GPU, resulting in longer device battery life.
The NPU works in alignment with the CPU and GPU, and Windows 11 assigns processing tasks to the most appropriate place to deliver fast and efficient performance. The NPU enables on-device AI intelligent experiences with Enterprise-grade security for enhanced protection from chip to cloud. Copilot+ PCs offer unique AI experiences that ship with modern versions of Windows 11, including AI features designed to run on the device NPU. These features will be available via APIs in the Windows AI Foundry.
To access the NPU on a Copilot+ PC, developers can use Windows ML, which is the recommended way to programmatically access the NPU and GPU for AI acceleration. Windows ML automatically detects the available hardware on the device and downloads the appropriate Execution Providers (EPs) as needed, eliminating the need for manual downloads. This means developers can focus on building AI experiences without worrying about low-level hardware integration.
Windows ML still uses ONNX Runtime as its inference engine, but abstracts away the complexity of EP management. ONNX Runtime is an open-source inference and training engine for AI models using the ONNX format, enabling developers to build AI applications that can run efficiently across a wide range of devices. Microsoft works directly with hardware vendors, such as Qualcomm and Intel, to ensure EP compatibility with early driver versions and new silicon.
To measure the performance of AI models running locally on the device NPU, developers can use various diagnostic and tracing tools, including Task Manager, Windows Performance Recorder (WPR), Windows Performance Analyzer (WPA), and GPUView. These tools provide real-time performance data, including NPU usage, CPU usage, and memory bandwidth. Developers can also use Qualcomm Snapdragon Profiler (qprof) to visualize system performance and identify optimization opportunities.
The introduction of Copilot+ PCs and Windows ML marks a significant step forward in the development of AI-powered devices. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more advanced AI features and models being integrated into Windows 11 and other Microsoft products. With the ability to perform over 40 trillion operations per second, Copilot+ PCs are poised to revolutionize the way we interact with AI-powered devices, enabling faster, more efficient, and more secure AI experiences.
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