Vratislav Holub When Apple switched from Intel processors to its own solution in the form of Apple Silicon chips for its computers, it significantly improved performance and energy consumption. Even during the presentation itself, he highlighted the main processors, which together form the overall chip and are behind its capabilities. Of course, in this regard we mean CPU, GPU, Neural Engine and others. While the role of the CPU and GPU is generally known, some Apple users are still unclear as to what the Neural Engine is actually used for.
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Pavel Jelic The Cupertino giant at Apple Silicon is based on its chips for the iPhone (A-Series), which are equipped with virtually the same processors, including the aforementioned Neural Engin. However, not even one device is completely clear what it is actually used for and why we need it at all. While we are quite clear about this for the CPU and GPU, this component is more or less hidden, while it ensures relatively important processes in the background.
Why it's good to have a Neural Engine
But let's shed some light on the essential, or actually good, fact that our Macs with Apple Silicon chips are equipped with a special Neural Engine processor. As you may know, this section is specifically for working with artificial intelligence and machine learning. But that in itself doesn't have to reveal so much. However, if we were to summarize it in general, we can say that the processor serves to accelerate the relevant tasks, which makes the work of the classic GPU noticeably easier and speeds up all our work on the given computer.
This is how Apple presented the M1 chip
Specifically, the Neural Engine is used for related tasks, which, at first glance, do not differ in any way from normal ones. This can be video analysis or voice recognition. In such cases, machine learning comes into play, which is understandably demanding on performance and energy consumption. So it definitely doesn't hurt to have a practical assistant with a clear focus on this issue.
Collaboration with Core ML
Apple's Core ML framework also goes hand in hand with the processor itself. Through it, developers can work with machine learning models and create interesting applications that will then use all available resources for their functionality. On modern iPhones and Macs with Apple Silicon chips, the Neural Engine will help them in this. After all, this is also one of the reasons (not the only) why Macs are so good and powerful in the area of working with video. In such a case, they do not rely only on the performance of the graphics processor, but also get help from the Neural Engine or other media engines for ProRes video acceleration.
Neural Engine in practice
Above, we have already lightly sketched what the Neural Engine is actually used for. In addition to applications working with machine learning, programs for editing videos or voice recognition, we will welcome its capabilities, for example, in the native application Photos. If you use the Live Text function from time to time, when you can copy written text from any image, the Neural Engine is behind it.
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