NVIDIA has announced its plans to develop processors based on ARM architecture for personal computers operating under the Windows operating system. This move by NVIDIA aligns with Microsoft’s efforts to promote the development of ARM processors for Windows computers. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a competitor of NVIDIA, has also revealed similar plans. Mass production of these processors is expected to commence in 2025, heralding potential significant changes in the PC industry long dominated by Intel. The influence of Apple, which recently released its own ARM chips for Mac computers, is also being felt in this market.
Microsoft, seeking to emulate Apple’s success, closely monitors its rival’s achievements and hopes to achieve similar effectiveness. In 2016, Microsoft entered into an agreement with Qualcomm to develop chips compatible with Windows. This agreement is set to expire in 2024, prompting Microsoft to actively encourage other manufacturers to enter the market after this date. Qualcomm is anticipated to unveil its ARM chip for PCs, named Snapdragon X Elite, in the coming days.
Microsoft is further promoting the integration of artificial intelligence functions into chip development. The company believes that software with enhanced artificial intelligence, like Copilot, will witness increased demand on the Windows operating system. However, the transition from the X86 architecture to ARM may pose challenges as code developed for X86 is not compatible with ARM architecture, potentially resulting in additional difficulties and costs.
In response to the news, NVIDIA shares experienced a 4.4% increase, while Intel shares saw a decline of 2.9%. ARM shares also rose by 3.4% after the close of trading.