What to know

  • Your computer is AI-enabled if you see the ‘NPU’ label within the Performance tab of the Task Manager.
  • You can also use the Device Manager to check if your system is AI-enabled. For Intel processors, look for ‘Intel AI Boost’; for AMD processors, look for ‘AMD IPU device’. 

Be it computers or mobile devices, the next generation of tech will come equipped with dedicated hardware and software capable of performing and handling AI tasks more efficiently. So if you’ve recently purchased a new Windows PC – or are in the market for one – make sure that you perform the following checks to see if it qualifies as an AI-enabled PC. 

How to check if your Windows 11 computer is AI-enabled

Windows PCs now come equipped with an NPU or Neural Processing Unit to handle complex AI related tasks more efficiently. They are integrated into the CPU itself, and are optimized to process AI-related tasks. Here’s how you can check if your computer is AI-enabled with an NPU.

Method 1: Using the Task Manager

  1. Open the Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc simultaneously, or right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager).
  2. Click on the Performance tab.
  3. If your computer has NPU, you will see “NPU 0” here. 
    Image: Dell

Neural Processing Units are already integrated into Intel’s 14th Gen processors and above, AMD processors supporting Ryzen AI technology, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen2 and above. 

Method 2: Using the Device Manager

Another way to check if your Windows PC has NPU is using the Device Manager. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Device Manager from Start menu.
  2. If you have an Intel processor, look for Intel AI Boost.
    Image: Dell
  3. If you have an AMD processor, look for AMD IPU Device.
    Image: Dell

If you find the corresponding NPU drivers for your processor, you’re good to go! 

On the other hand, if you’re sure your processor has an NPU, you may need to download the drivers from the manufacturer’s website first. For computers with Qualcomm chips, the NPU drivers come pre-installed and are available automatically via Windows Update.

FAQ

Let’s consider a few commonly asked questions about AI-enabled computers.

Which computers are considered AI-enabled?

According to Dell, computers that have NPU are considered AI-enabled. Intel and Microsoft’s definition of AI-enabled PCs included Copilot and a dedicated Copilot key as well. 

How is NPU used in Windows?

On Windows, NPU is used to optimize AI-related tasks by reducing the energy consumption required by deep learning algorithms. It also improves overall device performance by transferring the AI tasks to the NPU and giving the CPU and the GPU  

Given the pace at which AI systems are being adopted, it’s no long shot to say that AI is the future of computing. With Intel, Microsoft, AMD, and now Dell weighing in on the matter, it’s clear that soon every Windows PC will need to have NPU integrated into its core processing unit. 

We hope this guide helped you figure out if your Windows PC is AI-enabled or not. Until next time!