Global technology companies compete for AI-enabled consumer electronics
Recently, major companies around the world have become increasingly competitive in the layout of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and have introduced products or services led by AI technology to consumers. According to industry insiders, AI application equipment will be a new competitive highland in the consumer market, and China manufacturers are expected to achieve "overtaking in corners" in many fields.
? ? In terms of computer products, Microsoft and Apple recently launched new products led by the latest AI technology. Microsoft will release Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 on March 21st. According to reports, the new product will be equipped with the function of "AI Explorer", which is also the difference between AI PC (Artificial Intelligence Personal Computer) and ordinary PC. AI Explorer can operate on any application, and users can search documents, web pages, images and chat in natural language. At the same time, Apple is betting on AI to reverse the decline of its Mac business.
? ? Hua Fu Securities believes that with the good support of chips, the AI PC products of Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and other terminal manufacturers are accelerating, and 2024 is expected to become the first year of large-scale shipment of AI PCs. Qunzhi Consulting predicts that the global shipments of AI PCs will reach about 13 million units in 2024, and from 2025 to 2026, the shipments of AI PCs will continue to maintain an annual growth rate of more than double digits, and become the mainstream PC product type in 2027.
? ? In the field of smart phones, another major consumer electronics product, the industry also defined 2024 as the first year of AI mobile phones, and overseas manufacturers represented by South Korea’s Samsung launched new AI mobile phones one after another this year. What concerns the industry is that China mobile phone manufacturers are also accelerating to embrace AI. OPPO, a China manufacturer, has deployed a large language model with about 7 billion parameters in the new mobile phone. Users can use the "AI elimination" function after taking photos, and AI can also help users intelligently sort out the key information in the call. The Chinese and foreign consumer markets are strikingly similar, that is, AI mobile phones have driven the sales of mobile phones at the beginning of the year.
? ? "As the terminal with the largest number of users, mobile phones are an important field for the innovation and application of AI big models." Jin Shi, vice president of Southeast University, said, "AI mobile phone will be the third major transformation stage of the communication industry after functional machines and smart phones, providing an important opportunity for domestic brands to achieve overtaking in corners."
? ? According to the research institute TechInsights, the global smartphone exchange rate may have dropped to 23.5% in 2023, and the replacement cycle will be extended to 51 months. In Jinshi’s view, the industry changes triggered by the development of AI technology have painted a good prospect for the mobile phone industry. "The concept of AI mobile phone has become the driving force for many users to change their machines." Jinshi said. The industry’s first White Paper on AI Mobile Phone released by OPPO and IDC this year also reached a similar conclusion, and comprehensively expounded the industry trend, user research and future development.
? ? The industry believes that the competition of electronic products in AI applications in the future depends on the talent pool. In accelerating the cultivation of artificial intelligence talents, the layout of Industry-University-Research in China is also accelerating. For example, at the level of Industry-University-Research, Southeast University and OPPO explored cooperation in "6G+AI", chip and system collaboration, and launched the "6G Intelligent Wireless Communication System Competition". "Universities and research institutes should strengthen cooperation with head enterprises, integrate production and education, and alternate work and study to jointly cultivate compound talents facing the future of artificial intelligence." (Reporter Yan Lei)