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According to a presentation from Intel on Tuesday, which weirdly debuted Microsoft's "requirements for an AI PC," vendors will need three specific components if they want to advertise their new machines as such. One, "NPU, CPU, and GPU powered silicon." Since that presumably includes integrated GPUs like Intel's Xe systems, the NPU (neural processing unit) is the new hotness in question.
What exactly is an NPU? That's a bit nebulous at the moment. An NPU is a distinct (if not necessarily discrete) processor designed for specific tasks, very much like a GPU for visuals, but it's for "AI." Another term for an NPU is "AI accelerator." But again, exactly what it does isn't exactly clear. For the live demos I've seen, the most interesting thing it's doing is blurring the background in video calls somewhat more efficiently than existing chips.
Microsoft also demands that an AI PC include its Copilot assistant…which is built into Windows 11. So, that's basically a given. And also that there be a dedicated Copilot button on the keyboard, generally replac
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Sony unveiled April's PlayStation Plus monthly games on Wednesday. The batch includes Immortals of Aveum, Minecraft Legends, Skul: The Hero Slayer and an Overwatch 2 skins-and-skips bundle. Subscribers on PS Plus' Essential, Extra and Premium tiers can claim the titles starting Tuesday, April 2.
Immortals of Aveum (PS5) showed promise, but its "first-person shooter with magic instead of guns" formula didn't fare incredibly well commercially. The EA-published game was met with mixed reviews, and its release date — competing against the likes of Baldur's Gate III, Armored Core VI and Starfield — likely didn't help. That led to indie developer Ascendant Studios laying off nearly half its staff a few weeks after launch. Still, despite its suspiciously smooth mechanics and too-sparse crowds, we liked its ci
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