The next generation of personal computer is rolling out now with a new focus when it comes to performance. It’s all about AI-assistance, and devices with AI baked in at the hardware level. They promise smarter ways to work, and a simpler user experience. But like all AI so far, these devices depend on a fast and stable connection to the internet. And the secret sauce for that connection? Wi-Fi 7.
Because it’s not just that AI-enhanced devices need fast bandwidth. In fact, some are designed to reduce the load on our groaning home ISP connections. But they do need a stable and consistent Wi-Fi connection, even as the devices themselves change to become even more portable, wearable, and ubiquitous.
This is why Wi-Fi 7 is such a good partner for AI. It’s not just about speed; the new standard also reduces latency and employs a range of radio technologies to keep the connection stable and, well, connected at all times.
After all, if you’re watching a movie and your Wi-Fi drops out, that means a stutter in the movie. If you’re making a critical enquiry or running a model using AI? Who knows what could happen!
What is an AI device?
For the last few years, AI assistants have run entirely in the cloud. To use Google, Alexa, or Siri, you essentially ask a small program on your device to send your enquiry to the internet, it gets processed on a server, and then comes back to your device. This is fine for faux-AI stuff like asking the weather or booking movie tickets. When it comes to actually crunching data or doing work, it’s high time our devices got smarter too.
You’ll see it in laptops this year, with Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs. These aren’t all made by Microsoft, but all have a new range of CPUs inside that are better suited to the kind of work AI needs to do. Some will also come with Wi-Fi 7 on board, giving them the best possible access to support services they will need from the cloud to use all their features.
Your mobile device is getting smarter too. Google’s Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra have hardware onboard to support a range of new AI smarts, and Apple Intelligence is a new platform that we’ll see in Apple devices late this year and into 2025. Each company has its own way of doing things, but all rely on the same basic concept: The AI elements can now split the load between the device itself and the cloud.
So what will you do with these AI devices that you don’t do today? Well, part of the point is, we don’t yet know the full potential of this shift. But for now you’ll see things that until now have been the domain of limited websites and apps. You’ll see much more powerful and intuitive writing tools, and of course, images generated partially on your device and only partially needing the cloud.
ChatGPT-like results will come back even faster and be more useful for you. Most of the focus for these first AI devices will be on the user, anticipating the things you do every day, making more useful suggestions, and even simple stuff like speeding up text-to-speech so you can rattle off messaging replies as if the person was on an intercom next door.
How Wi-Fi 7 is the perfect match for AI
At first glance, it might not seem obvious how a faster Wi-Fi standard will benefit AI devices, since the fundamental point of the new hardware is to allow more processing on the device instead of relying 100% on the cloud.
But that’s never been how information and communications technology works. Give a system more capability, it does more stuff. Sure, any individual AI-enabled request might need less bandwidth than it did before, but you will be using AI far more frequently and with multiple apps and features at once.
What an AI-enabled device really needs is a stable and consistent wireless connection, and that’s what Wi-Fi 7 delivers – along with its blazing top speeds.
Older Wi-Fi standards don’t distinguish between slower and faster devices, and can require that devices “queue” for internet access. They can struggle to maintain consistent bandwidth, especially on devices that are being carried from room to room, or whose antennae are constantly changing angle as the user rolls over or sits up, or assumes whatever other position you like to scroll Insta in.
Wi-Fi 7 has new radio technology that is focused on providing a secure and stable connection. It also makes new channels available for Wi-Fi 7 devices, effectively allowing them an exclusive lane on the network, free of older, slower traffic.
The most important thing for an AI-enabled device is that the user has a smooth experience where you might even forget it’s constantly accessing the cloud. It should feel exactly like doing everything on the device itself. And Wi-Fi 7 will make that possible.
What do I need for Wi-Fi 7?
Like other IT standards, Wi-Fi 7 does have a compliance process, and devices that pass it will be sold with Wi-Fi 7 labels. Look for this label when purchasing a new router, mesh network system, laptop, or desktop PC.
Mobile devices might be a little trickier, because while they may claim Wi-Fi 7 on board, some don’t come with support for the 320MHz channel-width which means full Wi-Fi 7 compliance. Many mobile devices don’t need this, for now, but as more AI-enabled smartphones and tablets roll out, it’s worth checking that yours has true Wi-Fi 7 compliance.
Wi-Fi 7 is, as the name suggests, a local wireless network standard, so you will need to upgrade your home network to Wi-Fi 7 by purchasing a Wi-Fi 7-compliant router.
If you currently rely on Wi-Fi extenders in your home, it’s worth testing your new Wi-Fi 7 router by itself, as the new radio tech inside may take care of some of those old familiar black spots. However, if reception issues persist, you’ll need to replace your extenders with Wi-Fi 7-compliant ones too.
A better solution might be to switch to a mesh network system. This consists of devices that work like router and extender in one. When you plug them all in, they find each other and set up a wireless network (you can also connect them with Ethernet cables if you want). This means your devices don’t have to switch from “Home WiFi” to “Home Wifi Extender Downstairs” and “Home Wifi Extender Backroom” over and over.
When it comes to your PC, a desktop can be upgraded with a Wi-Fi 7 network adaptor. But beware of USB adaptors, as many lack the aforementioned 320Hz channel.
CoPilot+ PCs are starting to enter shops now, and it’s good news for gamers since many of the 2024 model gaming laptops have Wi-Fi 7 as standard.
When is Wi-Fi 7 not going to help?
While Wi-Fi 7 plus a fast broadband internet connection will be the best set up for next-generation AI-enabled devices, it’s important to remember it is a two-part equation.
If your internet plan is 50Mbps or less, or you rely on a 4G or 5G connection for internet at home, then a Wi-Fi 7 router may not provide significant advantages over a good Wi-Fi 6 or 6E unit.
While 5G can provide speeds up to 500Mbps or more (depending on your location) this speed can be quite variable, so Wi-Fi 7’s stability and consistency won’t get a chance to shine.
That said, Wi-Fi 7 routers are compatible with all ISP types, and the added security benefits and ability to handle lots of devices could still make the upgrade worth it. And while the cost of Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems is currently high, more affordable options will follow as the number of compliant devices expands.
Read more GadgetGuy articles about Wi-Fi 7 and AI PCs.
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