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AMD’s case for AI PCs is a bet on a virtuous cycle: put neural processing units (NPUs) into enough computers, give developers tools to use them, and useful software will follow. In a CRN interview, AMD client-channel executive David McAfee argued that the growing installed base would attract independent software vendors (ISVs). That is a strategy and a forecast—not evidence that broad NPU adoption has already arrived.
What an AI PC is—and what its NPU does
IDC’s definition, reproduced in an AMD article dated March 14, 2025, describes an AI PC as “a system that combines a CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU) and an NPU on the same physical processor.” An NPU is a processor designed for AI workloads. It can handle suitable tasks alongside the CPU and GPU, rather than leaving all of that work to general-purpose processors.
AMD’s design rationale is that an NPU can run some sustained AI workloads more efficiently, potentially reducing the power needed for those tasks. That does not mean every AI feature will run faster or extend battery life: outcomes depend on the particular chip, software implementation, and workload.
AI PC and Copilot+ PC are not interchangeable labels. AMD’s March 2025 article said that PCs with NPUs rated at 40 TOPS or more can qualify as Microsoft Copilot+ PCs; systems below that threshold may still support AI features in other applications. Requirements and eligible features can change, so check Microsoft’s current criteria for a specific purchase.
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Why McAfee expected ISVs to follow the hardware
McAfee’s argument, as presented in CRN’s interview, was that developers have more reason to support a platform when enough customers own compatible hardware. AMD paired that installed-base thesis with its Ryzen AI software toolchain, intended to help developers build applications that use Ryzen AI capabilities. The logic is straightforward: hardware creates potential reach, and tooling can lower the effort needed to serve it.
The interview noted more than 50 laptop designs using first-generation Ryzen AI chips at the time. That was a historical count, not a current catalog total, and it does not establish how many owners used NPU-enabled features. Owning NPU-equipped hardware is only one part of the equation; applications and operating-system features must actually invoke it, and users must find the result worthwhile.
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What local NPU software looks like so far
AMD’s August 5, 2025 account named several security-related examples. These illustrate possible uses, but they are vendor-reported descriptions—not independent comparative tests or proof that ISVs broadly have moved to NPUs.
- BUFFERZONE NoCloud AI: AMD describes local phishing detection through a Chrome or Edge browser extension.
- McAfee Scam Detector: AMD says its video scam protection uses Ryzen AI NPU support to identify AI-manipulated audio in video streams.
- Styrk AI: AMD describes the product as running a local large or small language model on AMD NPU hardware while connecting to a cloud portal for prompt protection.
These examples show that NPU-oriented applications exist; they do not establish how widely they are deployed, how well they perform, or whether comparable tools support other hardware. Developers still have to decide whether local execution is worth the engineering work and whether a feature can reach enough compatible users.
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Why the shift is not automatic
An NPU can make sense when an application has an AI task that benefits from running locally and can be implemented for the hardware and software platform. Local processing may offer lower latency, privacy or security advantages, or reduced cloud costs in some cases. Those benefits are workload-dependent, not guaranteed simply because a laptop has an NPU.
An IDC Custom Solutions paper published in April 2026 and sponsored by AMD says most AI workloads still run in the cloud, while operating systems and business applications are beginning to unlock local NPU use. That is a more measured picture than “ISVs will flock”: software support is developing, and wider adoption depends on useful applications, developer effort, platform compatibility, and user demand.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the market figures do—and do not—show
AMD’s March 2025 article attributed several figures to IDC research. They indicate market expectations and surveyed interest, not verified NPU usage or guaranteed future demand.
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- 93.9% by 2028: IDC forecast that AI PCs would account for this share of commercial PC shipments. AMD said the forecast came from an IDC white paper sponsored by AMD; it is a projection, not a measured current share.
- 95% using AI; 97% favoring broad deployment: In an IDC survey reported by AMD, those proportions of respondents said they used AI in some capacity and favored broad AI deployment in their organizations, respectively. Respondents were manager-level or above, worked at companies with at least 1,000 employees, and had responsibility or input in PC purchasing. The results should not be treated as population-wide adoption rates.
What this means if you are choosing a computer
For a buyer, the useful question is not just whether a laptop has an NPU. It is whether that NPU will run features or applications you expect to use, and whether local processing matters for your work. Compare the software and operating-system features you need, the NPU capability and any applicable Copilot+ criteria, whether your workload is local, cloud-based, or hybrid, your privacy and governance requirements, and the system’s price and performance.
The cited sources do not establish a single best laptop or a winning processor brand. Compatibility varies by model and application, and a forecast of future AI PC shipments cannot tell an individual buyer whether a particular NPU feature is worth paying for.
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