In the last few years, we have seen artificial intelligence (AI) predominantly function behind the scenes, quietly automating tasks and enhancing efficiency. However, the unparalleled surge in the adoption of generative AI marks a significant transformation in how humans engage with technology, particularly through natural language and conversation. This signals a new era which is set to change how we live, work and play.
A study of the economic potential of generative AI estimated that the technology could add more than US$4 trillion annually to the global economy. A report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company found that the digital economy in Singapore is expected to reach approximately US$30 billion by 2025.
There is a great opportunity in AI to transform the PC and the way we live. At the same time, AI also brings potential security threats which organisations must play a role in regulating.
Future of the PC
Most people’s experiences with generative AI so far have been through web browsers and the cloud, which brings all the reliability, speed and privacy challenges that come with any online-only, open access and corporate-owned platforms. By placing generative AI on the PC, users can get all the benefits, without the drawbacks.
Two-thirds of Singaporeans (67%) say they have a good understanding of what AI is, and 57% say they are aware of the types of products and services that use AI. This means that the AI PC will empower more people to become creators of technology, rather than just consumers.
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With local inferencing and data processing, there is less latency and opportunities for stronger data privacy, security as well as improved energy efficiency and lower cost of access. Personalised generative AI solutions are set to turn the PC into an intelligent personal companion – one that can keep information safe, and perform tasks because on-device AI can access all the same, specific emails, presentations, reports, and spreadsheets as the individual.
A new era for human creativity
New research is already demonstrating the positive effects of AI on knowledge worker productivity and quality, across a range of tasks that make up people’s daily work, from creativity and analytical thinking to writing proficiency, and persuasiveness. The use of ChatGPT-4 significantly increased performance, boosting speed by over 25%, human-rated performance by over 40%, and task completion by over 12%.
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With the integration of internal company and personalised working data on the PC, individuals can quickly analyse vast volumes of public information, to combine the best and most relevant of both. From gathering customer insights, conducting financial assessments or creating a presentation – everything can be done faster, more comprehensively, and privately, with the power of local AI and efficient, real-time delivery.
Leveraging natural language AI combined with ‘low-code’ development platforms is set to help anyone who wants to develop apps with minimal hand-coding, and turn their ideas into new working solutions for their organisation.
The importance of endpoint security
Since on-device AI will be trained with sensitive user data, endpoints will become a bigger and more valuable target for threat actors. It will therefore be even more vital that organisations invest in advanced endpoint security.
In Singapore, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) established the AI Verify Foundation, which aims to harness the contributions of the global open-source community to develop AI testing tools for the responsible use of AI.
Another key area that organisations are prioritising is isolation technology which offers protection against zero-day exploits and AI-powered social engineering attacks by containing risky activities and wrapping around applications containing sensitive data, creating virtual machines that are isolated from the PC operating system.
Reshaping the world with AI
With AI integrated into our personal devices, it is set to improve performance, enhance personalisation and boost creativity. Leveraging generative AI and machine learning to fulfil the potential of AI paves the way for digital transformation and improvement to the way we work and live. With the right ethical and strategic approach, this is a revolution that can benefit everyone.
David Tan is the managing director for South East Asia at HP
