TAIPEI - Imagine speaking to your computer to allow embedded artificial intelligent agents to plan a product launch across several markets or justify high-stakes deal valuations.

This vision of ‘agent computers’ processing data locally and proactively figuring out what needs be done to achieve a goal is being championed by chip makers such as Intel and Nividia at Computex, Asia’s largest trade tech trade show held in Taipei from June 2 to 5.

Unlike traditional AI, AI agents can independently plan and carry out multi-step tasks to achieve a goal.

During his keynote address on June 2 at Computex, Intel chief executive officer Tan Lip-Bu demonstrated how complex tasks can be autonomously handled by this new generation of agent computers.

“AI is profoundly impacting the way we use our devices. A major focus area for us is the use of AI on devices,” said Tan, who was sharing the stage with American privately-held software firm’s chief executive officer Aravind Srinivas.

The duo demonstrated how a private equity associate could evaluate whether a company is worth a $1.1 billion buyout by prompting an agent computer to analyse non-disclosure agreements and expert call transcripts, among other sensitive deal-making information, using a specified financial model.

The demonstration used an agent computer, dubbed Perplexity Computer, which ran on Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 3 processor that is designed to allow AI large language models to run on-device instead of in the cloud.

Perplexity Computer processed financial models and documents without letting confidential data leave the device. It also tapped cloud-based AI models for broader research before combining all the information into a final report.

“The result is… your sensitive informa...