I'm considering purchasing a high-end Thinkpad laptop, but I'm concerned about all these 'AI' features that are being marketed. What do they actually mean? Is the AI functionality integrated into the processor, or is it just a buzzword? Also, if I end up buying one, can I turn these features off if I don't want them?
5 Answers
Honestly, most of the 'AI' features are just marketing buzzwords. Some laptops have a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) built in, but many users won't really utilize it. For instance, I've got one on my laptop, but I haven’t even touched it yet! It’s primarily optimized for specific features like Copilot.
And when it comes to performance, if a laptop has a separate GPU, that's typically way more powerful than the NPU. I’ve heard NPUs don’t really have much practical use in actual applications.
Right now, it feels like AI on PCs is mostly just a marketing gimmick. So, don’t stress about it too much; these features aren’t particularly useful for most users.
If you want to disable certain 'AI' features like Copilot, there are guides available that can walk you through it. Check out sites like XDA Developers or How-To Geek for step-by-step instructions.
I had a laptop with an NPU for over a year, and I only used it for one thing: it makes it look like I'm making eye contact during video calls. Definitely not worth all the hype!
Most new PCs will come with some AI features baked into Windows 11. However, you can turn them off in the settings if you prefer a more traditional experience.
Totally! You can modify and disable just about anything on a computer. It’s all in your control.
Just wait until Apple jumps into the conversation with their own take on AI!
Agreed! I have an NPU, but I can't find any tools that utilize it effectively.