In a bid to reignite excitement in the stagnant PC market, Lenovo unveiled its latest lineup of AI-powered devices at the Innovate event held on Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand. The tech giant showcased a range of cutting-edge products, including the innovative Yoga Book 9i, signalling its commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence for a PC revival.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Yoga Book 9i, a revolutionary dual-screen laptop equipped with a detachable keyboard and cover. With the ability to transform into various modes, including traditional clamshell, dual landscape, dual portrait, tented displays, and side-by-side screens, the Yoga Book 9i pushes the boundaries of laptop design. Powered by an Intel 14th-generation Core i7 U-class CPU, Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, up to 32GB LPDDR5X memory, and up to a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, the device offers unparalleled performance. Additionally, it features a rotating Bowers & Wilkins sound bar, providing an immersive audio experience.
Alongside the Yoga Book 9i, Lenovo introduced AI-enhanced laptops catering to creative professionals. The 16-inch Yoga Pro 9i, equipped with a new Intel Core Ultra processor and optional Nvidia RTX 4070 mobile GPU, promises superior performance for demanding tasks. Both the 16-inch and 14-inch Yoga 9i models incorporate Lenovo’s AI Core Chip, enabling optimisations for performance, battery life, and cooling efficiency. Moreover, the inclusion of Lenovo’s Creator Zone software, powered by generative AI, facilitates the conversion of text prompts into images, enhancing the creative workflow.
In a move to address diverse consumer needs, Lenovo also unveiled more affordable options such as the 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i and Yoga Pro 7, along with premium gaming notebooks like the Legion 9i. These gaming laptops feature AI chips for enhanced speed and performance, coupled with Lenovo’s proprietary Legion Coldfront: Hypercooling technology, ensuring optimal thermal management during intense gaming sessions.
Lenovo’s strategic emphasis on AI comes amidst a challenging period for the PC industry, marked by declining global demand. Despite maintaining a lead over competitors with 59 million PCs shipped in the previous year, Lenovo experienced a 13% drop in sales volume. According to IDC, global PC shipments in the final quarter of 2023 declined by 2.7% compared to the previous year, reflecting the eighth consecutive quarter of contraction.
However, industry experts remain optimistic about the potential of AI-driven PCs to rejuvenate the market. With AI integration becoming a cornerstone of PC makers’ strategies, Lenovo aims to capitalise on this trend by embedding AI features into its devices and services. Each Lenovo AI PC comes equipped with a dedicated Copilot button for seamless access to AI-driven functionalities, powered by models developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
Furthermore, Intel’s ongoing efforts to integrate neural processing engines (NPUs) into its processors underscore the industry’s commitment to AI-driven innovation. These NPUs not only enhance speed and security but also enable on-device generative AI capabilities, aligning with Intel’s ambitious goal of powering 100 million AI PCs by the next year.
As Lenovo leads the charge in AI-driven PC innovation, the tech landscape anticipates a paradigm shift in the way consumers interact with their devices, ushering in a new era of productivity and creativity fueled by artificial intelligence.
