IDC released forecasts showing a monumental increase in AI PC shipments, predicting that nearly 60% of global PC shipments will be AI PCs by 2027. This projection shows a significant increase to the 50 million units expected in 2024 to more than 167 million units. by 2027. This strong growth drives an urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures, as consumers face increased exposure to threats such as model tampering and knowledge poisoning in AI applications.
In response to these emerging risks, cybersecurity operator Trend Micro has unveiled the world’s first security solutions specifically designed for consumer AI PCs. These solutions, expected to be available by the end of 2024, were highlighted at Computex 2024. Trend Micro’s new security features include NPU-based email security and robust application protection of AI.
The company’s new NPU-based email security leverages neural processing units to run email scam protection locally on AI PCs. Historically, email content analysis required moving to the cloud due to the significant computing power required. By enabling local analytics, the new feature improves user privacy and streamlines the process, eliminating data privacy friction. Trend Micro anticipates significant adoption of this feature among consumers using AI PCs.
Additionally, Trend Micro seeks to counteract the inadequacies of traditional cybersecurity solutions when it comes to protecting AI applications. AI systems can fall victim to malicious activities such as model tampering or knowledge base poisoning, which can mislead the AI, compromise sensitive information, or propagate misinformation. The company’s AI Application Protection aims to mitigate these threats by providing advanced defense mechanisms to secure AI applications, making it an essential addition to device security products starting in 2024.
At Computex 2024, Trend Micro demonstrated these capabilities at its booth, highlighting its commitment to addressing evolving security challenges in the AI era. The showcase included a collaboration with Intel, using Intel’s next-generation Core Ultra processors, named Lunar Lake, known for their 48 NPU Tops. This partnership allows Trend Micro to offer enhanced local email security, significantly increasing user privacy and reducing latency.
Carla Rodriguez, Vice President and General Manager of Client Software Ecosystem Enabling at Intel, highlighted the importance of this collaboration: “We are excited to collaborate with Trend Micro on AI solutions leveraging our next generation Intel Core Ultra processors. . Trend will be the first to use Lunar Lake’s 48 NPU Tops on their email defense feature, running analytics locally to increase user privacy and security while reducing latency.
Kevin Simzer, COO at Trend Micro, highlighted the dual focus on using AI for security and securing AI: “We not only leverage AI for security, but we let’s also secure the AI itself. The value of this AI era will ultimately depend on how secure it is. this is the case from the business level to the individual consumer. Trend tackles both, while many in the industry still don’t.
With the deployment of AI PCs offering benefits such as improved performance and privacy, Trend Micro’s initiatives come at a crucial time. As PC makers rapidly introduce new AI-powered models, consumers face new opportunities and risks. Trend Micro’s proactive approach aims to ensure these advancements are underpinned by robust security measures, setting a precedent for the future of consumer AI PCs.
