Subj : Microsoft is adding support for AMDs neural processors in Windows To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Mon Feb 19 2024 19:15:05 Microsoft is adding support for AMDs neural processors in Windows heres why it matters Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:07:26 +0000 Description: AMDs NPUs are getting proper support in Windows Task Manager, but Microsoft still has a lot of work to do. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Microsoft is getting in gear for the impending rise of hardware-accelerated local AI tools, and while the first steps might seem boring, theyre important nonetheless. Yes, Im going to talk about Task Manager wait, dont leave! I know, its hardly the most glamorous topic out there, but this an important development. AMD has announced that it's working with Microsoft to add support for the formers latest neural processing units (NPUs) in Windows; specifically, enabling the Microsoft Compute Driver Model (MCDM) for the AMD chips, which will enable Task Manager to monitor NPU resource usage the same way it does for the CPU, GPU, and your other components. Its probably a relief for AMD, because its biggest rival, Intel, already has MCDM support for its own on-chip NPUs, despite Team Red being first to the NPU market. AMD praised Microsoft for acknowledging the importance of neural processing hardware, noting that AI use which can be accelerated by a local NPU is likely to burgeon in the coming years and commending Microsofts efforts to "keep pace with the added complexity of PCs". What does this mean for you? Every major chipmaker, including AMD, is currently on board the AI bandwagon, and that means dedicated hardware in your device for powering AI workloads. Local AI has many advantages over currently-available cloud-based AI tools such as ChatGPT , such as faster processing times, no need for a constant internet connection, and superior user security; so its not hard to see why NPUs have become the new gold rush target. In practice, that means were going to see more and more laptops and desktop PCs (and also phones and tablets!) featuring these dedicated AI chips as standard. Microsofts upcoming integration for AMDs NPUs is specifically for the new Ryzen 8040 series of chips, which are laptop-only processors. While the initial functionality will be limited to monitoring the NPU within Task Manager, it paves the way for full hardware-accelerated AI within Windows. Task Manager is more useful than most people give it credit for. It's not just for force-stopping wonky programs! (Image credit: TechRadar) But even just Task Manager integration is good and important and if you dont use Task Manager, you should. Its an invaluable tool for keeping track of how efficiently your computer is running, letting you see if your system is bottlenecking on a single component or chewing up power when running specific programs; it's an especially useful tool especially for laptop users, who can use it to fine-tune their power settings for better battery life. I was pleased to see that AMD agrees with my assessment, with a spokesperson saying the resource allocation tracking is particularly important in notebooks where end users may choose to maximize battery life by controlling where certain workloads run or adjusting global power settings. Even if your laptop doesnt have an NPU (most dont at present), Task Manager can help you squeeze the most out of its battery life. In any case, were probably only a year or two away from seeing all the best laptops featuring their own onboard NPUs, so Microsoft probably couldnt afford to drag its heels any longer. Its not quite clear from AMDs blog post whether this is a Windows 11-exclusive update or will apply to older versions of the OS too, but it wouldnt surprise me if its the former as we know, Microsoft really wants you to update! ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/laptops/microsoft-is-adding-support-for-am ds-neural-processors-in-windows-heres-why-it-matters --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .