Why smaller businesses need AI PCs to make hybrid work a success

As hybrid working increasingly becomes the norm, businesses must ensure their digital strategy is enabling high quality collaboration in order to succeed.

Recent research found that 9 in 10 organisations globally had embraced hybrid working, with only 14% reporting that employees had returned to the office full time.¹

Yet a recent study suggests only 30% of European employees say they have all the necessary technology to collaborate seamlessly with colleagues.²

Conditions in the average home office don’t always make for effective video conferences and calls. The majority aren’t designed or furnished with lighting or acoustic properties in mind.

Hard surfaces, insufficient light and background noise can result in harsh voices, grainy video and poor audio quality, making it harder to contribute to the discussion and have others see and hear you clearly.

Too often the result can be a poor experience, where crucial points and visual cues are missed, and attendees leave feel unseen and unheard. Research from York University, Ontario, found that the visual cues we use when meeting in person can be misleading or disruptive when they aren’t visible online.³

Here the new breed of AI PCs – particularly Windows Copilot+ PCs – could be a game-changer, particularly in the way that their AI processing power can be harnessed to deliver a superior meeting experience.

These enhancements start with Windows Studio Effects. These combine specially created AI models with the Neural Processing Units found in Copilot+ PCs to keep employees centre frame and improve the lighting.

New AI-powered portrait blur features ensure that employees stay in focus, while distracting background details are mitigated. Windows Studio Effects also includes convincing eye contact corrections, making subjects appear to be looking directly at the camera even when they’re looking downwards at their screen.

Meanwhile, AI-powered Voice Focus features remove background noise, enhance the speaker’s voice, while Live Captions⁴ convert speech to text in real-time. This bolsters inclusivity and accessibility and could be transformative for businesses building an international presence.

Dell’s firstCopilot+ PCs are based on a new generation of Qualcomm Snapdragon^® X  Series processors, teaming 10 or 12 ARM cores with a Hexagon NPU capable of processing up to 45 trillion AI operations per second. This gives these new PCs the power to run these AI enhancements without impacting performance elsewhere.

Dell’s Inspiron 14 Plus, XPS 13 and Latitude 7455 Copilot+ PCs bring even more to the table, supporting Qualcomm® FastConnect 7800 Wi-Fi 7* connectivity,⁵ for trouble-free streaming of high-definition voice and video in meetings, and incorporating dual-microphone arrays and advanced signal-processing technology to get a clean capture of voices and minimise background noise.

Together, Microsoft’s AI software and Dell’s Copilot+ PCs create a hugely effective tool for collaboration, with the performance for next-level productivity and the AI features for effective and inclusive meetings.

Learn more about AI PCs now.

¹ Quoted in The new normal: majority of organisations globally have introduced hybrid working, Management Today, 13/5/24, managementtoday.co.uk/new-normal-majority-organisations-globally-introduced-hybrid-working/article/1872474

² Ricoh, Flexible frustrations: research from Ricoh Europe reveals hybrid technology still not up to scratch, May 2024 https://www.ricoh-europe.com/news-events/news/flexible-frustrations-research-from-ricoh-europe-reveals-hybrid-technology-still-not-up-to-scratch/

³ Quoted in A new study finally explains why online meetings feel so exhausting, Toronto Star, 19/7/23, New study explains why online meetings feel so exhausting (thestar.com)

⁴ From 44 languages into English

⁵ Wi-Fi7/6e which has the 6Ghz band requires Windows 11 Operating system and compatible router. Router requires a separate purchase. WiFi 7/6E (6GHz) connectivity is only available in select locations. Check availability with your service provider. The Wi-Fi 7 card will operate on Wi-Fi 6E/6 speeds when Wi-Fi 7 is unavailable. Drivers for Wi-Fi 7 will be available mid-2024 (Win11 24H2 update). Dates are subject to change without notice. Ubuntu OS will not support Wi-Fi7 and will operate on WiFi 6/6E speeds when configured for WiFi7. The Bluetooth wireless card version may vary depending on the operating system that is installed on your computer.