Apple has launched upgraded Mac Mini and Mac Studio models, costing up to US$20,000, to handle AI tasks locally, challenging Microsoft and Nvidia's cloud-based AI infrastructure. The new Macs aim to eliminate recurring cloud token costs by offering powerful on-device processing. Apple's unified memory architecture, initially for battery life, has proven effective for AI. However, Apple faces a steep challenge in the enterprise market, holding only 4.6% share versus Windows' 91.3%. Microsoft is also pursuing on-device AI, while Nvidia focuses on expanding Windows PC capabilities.
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