Apple’s Macs are reportedly set for a big overhaul with an emphasis on AI

Macs are all set to get a big overhaul, but it’s not the kind many of us are expecting. If a new report is to be believed, the next generation Apple Macs will not only be more powerful but AI-capable as well. The age of AI PCs is truly here!

As per a Bloomberg report, Apple is set to refresh its entire Mac line-up with M4 chipset that have an ‘emphasis’ on AI capabilities. These new chips are expected to come in three tiers – entry-level chip codenamed Donan, mid-tier chip codenamed Brava, and a top-tier chip codenamed Hidra.

The entry-level chip is expected to power lower-end MacBook Pro and Mac Mini, and the MacBook Air. The mid-tier chip will power the higher-end MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and the Mac Studio. Lastly, the top-tier chip will power the Mac Pro.

These new Macs are said to launch late in 2024 and heading into 2025. At the moment it is unclear what this emphasis on AI actually means. But going by the current trend, it is likely to be improved capabilities in handling on-device AI tasks.

The age of AI PCs

AI PCs is the new buzzword, which are essentially supercharged personal computers that are tailor-made to handle various artificial intelligence tasks like a pro. With the CPU and GPU handling the different system tasks, it comes down to a dedicated NPU or Neural Processing Unit to take care of these AI tasks.

The latest chips from Intel and AMD come with an NPU included. By that definition, MacBooks have been AI PCs since back in 2020, when Apple introduced a Neural Engine with its M1 chip. That said, Apple has been slow to pick up on the generative AI trend, while its rivals have been far quicker in bringing AI PCs to the market.

But change is on the horizon. Apple is widely expected to talk about its foray into generative AI during WWDC in June. It remains to be seen if Apple goes down the licensing route or develop its own ChatGPT competitor.