Microsoft gave a lot of importance to Neural processing unit (NPU) when it was first made known copilot PC+ in 2024. Specialized piece of hardware is key to running AI tasks locally more efficiently, and has now spread from Qualcomm Snapdragon to the latest Intel and AMD processors.
Although the increase in NPU has been largely associated with Copilot+ AI tools in windows 11including Co-creator, live subtitles, Windows Studio effects and recoveryIt is also being used by a growing number of third-party applications.
1. Cephable – AI-assisted alternative inputs on PC
Cephable is an artificial intelligence software platform designed to replace traditional PC input methods. Instead of a mouse and keyboard, Cephable offers adaptive controls using head, eye or other movements (captured with a camera), as well as voice.
It can be configured to control apps and automate tasks, and works on Windows, MacOS/iOS, and Android.
Your PC’s NPU comes into play due to Cephable’s device privacy stance. It keeps sensitive voice and video data out of the cloud, and the NPU provides a more efficient way to power the effects.
Cephable was originally designed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, but has since been adopted by a much wider range of users who want to reduce screen time and improve productivity.
There are free plans available if you want to try Cephableand quotes are available for business and educational scenarios.
2. Adobe Photoshop: AI-assisted photo editing
Most modern photo editors, including Adobe alternatives like Luminar NEOGIMP and Affinity Photo now have some form of AI editing capabilities, but Photoshop tends to be the app that gets the most attention.
With an NPU on your PC, Photoshop tools such as subject selection, background removal, noise removal, upscaling, and masking are performed faster and more efficiently.
Not only does this leave the CPU and GPU open for other tasks, but it also reduces battery consumption and heat, both of which are especially important when editing photos on a laptop.
you can give Photoshop, free trialbut otherwise it will cost about $23 per month.
3. Norton – AI-assisted fraud and scam protection
I know that many of our readers find Windows Defender It’s all they need to protect your PC, but Norton Antivirus has recently added some great features that rely on an NPU to work.
I’m mainly talking about AI-based scam protection that can identify audio and video deepfakes, website phishing setups, and even SMS scams with the free Norton Genie mobile app.
Norton’s AI-powered scam detection tools run on a PC’s NPU to improve speed and efficiency, while keeping your data local without calls to the cloud.
Norton 360 Plans for Windows starts at $3.33 per month when you buy for a year.
4. Algoriddim djay Pro – AI-powered voice and instrument isolation
Algoriddim’s djay Pro has been around for a long time as a popular music mixing tool, but it only really started leaning towards the PC NPU a couple of years ago when Qualcomm presented its Snapdragon X chips.
One notable feature running on the NPU is Neural Mix. It’s a tool designed to isolate instruments, vocals, and backing tracks using artificial intelligence, making remixing and playback much easier.
Algoriddim says the move to an NPU instead of a CPU has unlocked “best-in-class separation quality with unprecedented low latency,” while making the overall experience “more intuitive and responsive.”
Can Try Algoriddim djay Pro for freebut a monthly subscription costs $6.99. If you purchase for a year, the rate drops to $49.99.
5. BufferZone NoCloud AI – Real-time phishing detection
BufferZone’s NoCloud AI is not a full standalone software, but I won’t let that technicality stop me from including it here.
NoCloud AI is a browser extension available for Edge and Chrome that is designed to detect phishing attacks in real time. The rise of AI has also benefited bad actors, and it is no longer enough to rely on reputation lists and cloud-based analytics to detect phishing attempts.
Although these browsers have their own phishing detection capabilities, NoCloud AI is said to improve detection rates by 25% on Edge and 21.62% on Chrome.
Because NoCloud AI uses a PC’s NPU (along with the GPU), BufferZone says it runs inference 40% faster compared to the CPU alone. And without needing to call the cloud, phishing is identified with 70% lower latency.
Unfortunately, BufferZone is only available for enterprise customers.
6. HP IQ – AI-Powered Business Partner
HP IQ looks a lot like Lenovo Qira in the sense that it is a personal intelligence layer, except in the case of HP, everything related to AI is handled directly on the NPU of the device.
HP calls IQ a “workplace intelligence layer” that facilitates workflow coordination and collaboration across devices. You can answer questions with voice and text requests, you can analyze and summarize documents, you can track notes and actions, and you can record and capture live meeting ideas.
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Its NearSense feature also makes it incredibly easy to share files from one PC to another just by being nearby.
HP IQ will first arrive on the company’s new EliteBook X G2 laptops in spring 2026, before rolling out to more HP laptops. Android support is expected later this year.
7. CapCut: AI-assisted video editing and effects
CapCut is a popular AI-powered video editor and creator that is often associated with social media.
Its auto crop feature is the best example of a tool that improves with an NPU, allowing you to remove and replace the background without needing to send any of your data to the cloud.
The NPU is also leveraged for facial tracking and some AI effects, leaving the CPU and GPU unloaded. As is almost always the case when it comes to the NPU, this improves efficiency and reduces power consumption.
Can download CapCut for your PC through the Microsoft Store. It is available for free with limited features; otherwise, it costs $19.99 per month or $179.99 per year.
Are you using any of these apps on your NPU-equipped Windows AI PC?
There are many apps that make good use of the NPU on your AI PC, and this is just a starter kit to highlight some of the uses outside of Copilot+.
Are you already taking advantage of the AI ​​features of these apps on your NPU-equipped AI PC? Which one(s) do you enjoy the most? Which ones would you like to see on this list that I left out? Be sure to let me know in the comments section below!
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