New Delhi Last month, Dell launched a laptop that detects when someone is looking at the screen on a user’s shoulders and blurs the screen. If needed, it can also alert the user that someone is peeping. The feature is part of a software called Dell Optimiser 3.0 and has become part of Dell’s commercial line of laptops.
At the time, Ed Ward, a president of Dell Technologies, noted that hybrid work was “no longer an idea” and explained that Dell’s commercial portfolio would put “collaboration, intelligence and security” at the forefront.
But Dell isn’t the only company to do so. Lenovo also has motion-sensing technology that uses intelligent sensors to detect the user’s absence and auto-locks the display to protect data from unwanted prying eyes. “We have launched a number of devices with AI-powered features, many of which are targeted at consumers and businesses,” said Dinesh Nair, Director, Consumer Business, Lenovo India.
According to data published by International Data Corporation in February, PC shipments in India grew by 44% in 2021. Although PC penetration in the country is lower than in the US and Europe, companies are pushing for smart laptops in the premium range, though without raising their prices.
According to Vivekananda Manjeri, Brand Director, Client Solutions Group, Dell Technologies, there has been a big change in the way users do things on PC. “Companies have realized that a PC is not just a tool for getting things done. All collaboration and productivity is driven through the PC, which was earlier through face-to-face meetings,” he said.
Intelligent features are designed to enhance the usability, security and privacy of the devices. For example, a tool in Dell’s high-end laptops called Safe Shutter from last year, for example, can automatically close and open the webcam shutter in sync with a video-conferencing application. Its purpose is to prevent hackers from using webcams to spy on users.
Similarly, in August 2021, Lenovo announced a partnership with memory storage maker Flexxon. Under this, the companies created a solid state storage (SSD) drive that uses an AI-enabled co-processor and machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze cyber threats in real time, based on How the data is being written or read. it.
Like Dell, Lenovo has also launched laptops with AI-based attention sensing solutions for the Indian market. The company has added its so-called Q-Control intelligent cooling technology, which uses AI to optimize battery life on laptops.
Dell’s Manjeri said organizations are currently looking into endpoint protection because devices are exposed to “all kinds of threats” when they leave the company’s network.
“AI-based security solutions integrated with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) provide a default and pre-configured layer of defense against malware and attacks,” said Pratik Bhajanka, Senior Principal Analyst at Gartner.
According to Splunk’s State of Security report published on April 13, 33% of employees in India are currently working remotely compared to 49% globally. Among Indian organizations, 70% have seen a significant increase in attacks on remote workers, compared to 21% globally.
OEMs are hoping that AI can help mitigate at least some of these threats.
However, Bhajanka also said that these features alone cannot be the complete solution. He added that while such features demonstrate the brand’s commitment to privacy and security, most of these solutions operate in stand-alone or self-managed modes without a central management dashboard, as per company policies. Reduces the scope of optimization and modification. ,