Does the rise of the NPU spell the beginning of the end for discrete GPUs?

"To make sure we're all on the same page, an NPU is a specialised microprocessor designed to drastically accelerate artificial intelligence. From a creativity perspective, an NPU takes on the role of AI inference that was previously handled inefficiently by a GPU or, for lighter tasks, the CPU. As a result, laptops are able to make fast, informed decisions without needing to run extensive calculations on the GPU."

"What we're finding is that the type of creative tasks we're performing is changing, and as a result, the gravitational pull of processing is moving away from discrete GPUs and towards NPUs. The point is overstated, but at the very least, the need for entry-level discrete GPUs is becoming increasingly redundant. For example, why pay for a separate, small discrete GPU when the NPU and integrated graphics can handle all but the most intensive tasks while saving battery and space?"

Neural Processing Units (NPUs) are specialised chips that accelerate AI inference, offloading tasks previously handled inefficiently by GPUs or CPUs. Creative workflows are shifting so that processing emphasis moves from discrete GPUs toward NPUs and integrated graphics. NPUs and integrated graphics can handle most tasks, reducing the utility of entry-level discrete GPUs while saving battery life and internal space. The market has seen an upsurge in AI-branded laptops that emphasize on-device AI acceleration. High-end dedicated GPUs remain essential for specialised workloads that require massive parallel processing power and dedicated high-speed VRAM where raw performance outweighs power efficiency.

Read at Creative Bloq