This is a question I’ve been pondering for some time, and I have come to the conclusion that Copilot+ PCs will indeed eventually become mainstream.
Taking that stance then begs the question, once Copilot+ PCs have reached a substantial market share, will manufacturers continue to produce traditional PCs or not?
Traditional PCs vs Copilot PCs
Essentially, the only difference between traditional PCs and Copilot+ PCs is that the latter comes with an additional NPU chip which is specifically designed to optimally handle AI components. At the moment, Copilot+ PCs are limited to laptops only. However, Microsoft is working with manufacturers to introduce desktop Copilot+ PCs in the not-too-distant future – the word is that they will become available some time this year.
At this stage, if/when Copilot+ PCs do reach mainstream status, it’s difficult to say with 100% certainty whether manufacturers will stop producing traditional PCs. However, there are a couple of clues as to that eventuality:
#1 Dumb TVs vs Smart TVs
Looking back at the history of dumb TVs vs smart TVs does provide some insight. In Australia, new dumb TVs completely disappeared from stores approximately 12 months after the introduction of smart TVs, and dumb TVs have been unavailable to purchase for quite some time. Suggesting that, as far as TV manufacturers were concerned, cost and pricing were not a factor but rather the newer technology prevailed.
#2 The Obsession With AI
Now, I don’t know if PC manufacturers will adopt the same policy or not. Maybe they’ll continue producing traditional PCs as well as Copilot+ PCs. However, considering the major players’ obsession with AI, and Microsoft’s in particular, I believe it’s fairly safe to assume that the newer technology will once again prevail.
Let’s face it, even though I suspect many users are ambivalent with regard to AI, the major players, including Microsoft and Google, are intent on pressing forward with AI development. Indeed, billions of dollars have already been invested and these companies are now in a position where they need to justify all that expenditure.
So, regardless of what you and I might think of AI, it is here to stay and bound to only proliferate even more.
Do you think the advent of Copilot+ PCs will eventually lead to the demise of traditional PCs? Let us know your thoughts via the comments.
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