From Chips to Desktops, AI in Spotlight at Taiwan’s Computex Expo

At the Computex 2024 tech expo in Taiwan this week, artificial intelligence (AI) was the show’s star as Silicon Valley heavyweights Intel, Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm displayed their latest AI innovations.

The event drew over 80,000 attendees, according to a Friday (June 7) news release, and underscored the industry’s race to develop specialized AI chips and systems to cash in on skyrocketing demand.

Chasing the AI Crown

The keynotes from the leading chipmakers’ CEOs took on a competitive tenor, each highlighting their own firm’s technology.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger unveiled the sixth generation Xeon processors, which offers a 10x performance boost for AI inferencing, and previewed the Lunar Lake chips optimized for Intel’s AI software suite.

“AI is sparking an innovation renaissance,” Gelsinger said, noting Intel’s “unmatched” blend of performance, efficiency and bang for the buck.

More like this: Intel Ups the AI Ante With New Chips for Data Centers

Gelsinger’s speech came after keynotes from Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, AMD’s Lisa Su and Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon, all of whom discussed the latest AI tech in their firms.

Huang highlighted Nvidia’s next-gen Grace Hopper Superchips, fusing the firm’s GPU and CPU tech to tackle mammoth AI models. Su showcased AMD’s Ryzen AI chips, while Amon debuted Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 GenAI system-on-chip for high-end AI smartphones. Gelsinger said Intel’s Gaudi2 Deep Learning Accelerators was better than competitors’ offerings at a third of the cost.

Also read: AMD’s AI Ambitions Take Aim at Intel and Nvidia

Microsoft put its muscle behind the budding AI PC category, and said its Copilot+ AI suite will be baked into Windows on upcoming machines from Dell, HP and Lenovo. Early examples like Acer’s Swift 14, running a dedicated AI chip from MediaTek, and the Asus Vivobook S 15 with Qualcomm’s AI Engine, were on display at Computex. IT intelligence firm IDC projected that six in 10 PCs shipped globally will possess AI capabilities by 2027.

AI Spreads to Desktops and Beyond

MSI unveiled the MEG Vision X, billed as the first AI desktop rig, which offers a touchscreen interface. The Taiwanese firm said the panel enables granular system monitoring and AI-powered performance tuning for gaming and creativity apps, aiming to bring AI perks to its core customers. The Vision X packs a 13th-generation Intel Core CPU and Nvidia’s latest RTX GPU to power its AI optimization.

Computex spotlighted rivalry and teamwork among tech chiefs navigating the AI boom. Intel’s Gelsinger hosted the Asus and Acer chairs to introduce their co-designed AI laptops, while Nvidia’s Huang made surprise cameos at Supermicro and MediaTek’s gatherings to plug their hardware synergies. At a Computex panel on generative AI, nine global experts unpacked the evolving AI supply chain and emerging commercial use cases.

As the AI competition intensifies, tech giants are vying for the lead in a transformational shift that could rival the historic PC and internet revolutions. Computex 2024 provided a glimpse into an AI-powered future.