Lenovo Partners with Qualcomm and Intel to Launch China's First AI PCs

Lenovo has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm and Intel to develop and launch China's first artificial intelligence (AI) powered personal computers. The move aims to meet the growing demand for intelligent productivity solutions and cultivate a robust AI ecosystem in the country.

At Lenovo's Tech World event in Shanghai, the company introduced specialized versions of its AI PC, the Yoga Book 9i, along with other AI-centric devices. These PCs will feature Lenovo's proprietary large language model and personal AI assistant, Xiaotian, which interacts naturally with users to enhance work, study, and lifestyle pursuits. Xiaotian is powered by Alibaba's large language model, Tongyi Qianwen.

Lenovo's chairman, Yang Yuanqing, sees the transition of AI from breakthroughs to practical applications as a critical milestone. He emphasized the need to gather user feedback and continuously improve AI technology, envisioning a future where everyone has access to a personal intelligent assistant embedded in their PCs and smartphones.

Why this matters: The launch of AI PCs in China marks a significant step in the integration of artificial intelligence into everyday devices. As AI becomes more prevalent in personal computing, it has the potential to transform productivity, learning, and lifestyle experiences for users.

The PC industry is expected to see a significant rise in AI-capable PC shipments. Lenovo aims for half of its PC products in China to be AI PCs in the next quarter and 80% by 2024. According to market research firm IDC, AI PCs are expected to make up 85% of new PC sales in China by 2027.

Qualcomm's CEO, Cristiano Amon, expressed excitement about the partnership, leveraging the company's on-device AI capabilities to optimize the execution of Meta's Llama 3 large language models on upcoming Snapdragon flagship platforms. Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, also highlighted the potential of AI-driven systems to become indispensable in assisting with everyday tasks.

The push for AI PC development is part of Lenovo's wider strategy to embrace AI through independent innovation, transformation acceleration, employment growth, export expansion, and a commitment to spearheading the AI revolution. This move aligns with the broader tech industry's push, including companies like Microsoft, AMD, and Intel, to embed AI into the PC experience.

As Lenovo, Qualcomm, and Intel collaborate to bring AI-powered PCs to the Chinese market, they envision a future where artificial intelligence becomes an integral part of daily life. Yang Yuanqing emphasized, "We believe that AI will be the key productivity tool that everyone must-have in the future, just like PCs and smartphones." The launch of China's first AI PCs marks a significant milestone in the realization of this vision, laying the groundwork for intelligent productivity solutions and a thriving AI ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

• Lenovo, Qualcomm, and Intel collaborate to launch China's first AI-powered PCs.
• Lenovo's Yoga Book 9i and AI assistant Xiaotian powered by Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen.
• Lenovo aims for 50% of its PCs in China to be AI-powered by next quarter, 80% by 2024.
• AI PCs expected to make up 85% of new PC sales in China by 2027.
• Collaboration aims to integrate AI into everyday devices, transforming productivity and lifestyle.