Like it or loathe it, AI is permeating every aspect of the PC. Microsoft, Google, software developers, etc., are all pushing AI at every opportunity.
But, the critical question here is… is AI truly ready for prime time? In my opinion, AI has been pushed down our throats ahead of its time, and I’ll explain my thinking.
There are two hardware components that are essential for AI to function effectively: a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and/or a high-end GPU – without either, the PC will struggle to complete many AI-driven tasks/processes in a timely manner.
For example, rendering/upscaling video is inherently heavy on resources; throw in an AI factor, and without an NPU and/or high-end GPU, processing a one-hour video can take days to complete.
Now, the fact of the matter is that only new Copilot+ PCs come fitted with an NPU, and high-end GPUs are generally limited to PCs for gaming enthusiasts. Considering Copilot+ PCs are currently only available in laptop form and have only been available fairly recently, I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of existing home-use PCs are fitted with neither.
That’s why I say that this mass introduction of AI-in-everything is ahead of its time. In my opinion, AI would potentially have been far better received once NPUs had become a standard PC component and developers have had time to refine and perfect their AI components.
I concede that some users will appreciate the introduction of AI, including content creators and professionals who work with graphics, but I cannot see much in the way of benefits for the average home user. I could be wrong, of course, I often am, just ask my wife.
Beware AI Bowsers!
A new browser war is erupting as developers fight it out to win over the market with their AI browsers, such as ChatGPT’s Atlas browser and Perplexity’s Comet browser. However, these new AI browsers come with an inherent vulnerability that is simple to exploit and with the exploitation near enough to undetectable.
AI browsers take their interaction with websites much further than traditional browsers, processing both the user’s instructions and the content of every webpage they visit. The problem is that large language models (LLMs) are unable to distinguish between legitimate instructions and malicious instructions surreptitiously embedded into a website. This type of attack is known as “prompt injection”.
Prompt injection affords attackers access to everything the AI agent can access, which is a lot. In order to be genuinely effective, AI browsers need to access the user’s email, payment information, calendar, contacts, and browsing history. I must point out that this is a known issue, and AI browser developers are no doubt working on a solution. However, it does lend weight to the argument that AI is being rushed out prematurely.
BOTTOM LINE:
Personally, I cannot see that all this AI enhances the average user’s experience in Windows to any great degree. I’ve done quite nicely for many years without any form of AI and shall probably continue to do so until I’m finally forced into buying a new Copilot+ PC.
Your turn, what are your thoughts on this AI trend? Do you like or loathe AI, or are you wholly apathetic (as I am)?
Wishing you all a very Merry and safe Christmas.
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