Unleashing the Power of AI PCs on Campus

The AI Advantage for Higher Education

AI is no longer a future concept; it's a present reality. By 2025, universities adopting AI PCs are projected to significantly outperform those that delay. With AI spending expected to increase 2.8x, it's crucial for institutions to re-evaluate their approach to educational missions, data security, and productivity. A substantial portion of this growth is attributed to generative AI (GenAI) implementations. While predictive and interpretive AI were key in 2024, GenAI is expected to drive over threefold growth in the next 12 months.

This surge in AI adoption is driven by a desire to improve tech stack sustainability, regulatory compliance, and employee productivity. Providing staff with AI-enabled PCs is a direct path to realizing these benefits. Currently, 93% of educational institutions are considering or piloting this approach.

This eBook explores how AI PCs can enhance productivity, improve user experience, and bolster security within educational institutions. It specifically highlights the capabilities of Lenovo Aura Edition devices, powered by Intel®, and their synergy with services like Lenovo's Device as a Service (DaaS), Asset Recovery Services (ARS), and Premier Support Plus. A guide is provided to help institutions leverage AI PCs for innovation and empowerment.

Education Business Functions Adopting AI Use Cases

• Marketing
• Software Development
• IT Operations
• Customer Service
• Finance

What is an AI PC?

AI PCs are engineered to efficiently manage and accelerate AI tasks. They feature discrete Neural Processing Units (NPUs) in addition to traditional CPUs and GPUs, enabling faster and more efficient AI computations. Key benefits include:

• Quicker Results: NPUs process trillions of operations per second (TOPS), allowing for faster on-device processing and improved user experience without cloud reliance.
• Personalized Experiences: Locally run AI applications adapt to user preferences and work habits, offering customized interactions and on-device support.
• Enhanced Security: All AI processing occurs on the device, eliminating data transit and protecting sensitive information from external use or potential security threats.

How AI PCs Meet Device Refresh Needs

IT leaders face the challenge of balancing diverse institutional needs when refreshing devices. AI PCs offer the potential to significantly boost staff productivity and unlock broader business value. They provide researchers with enhanced access to on-device Small Language Models (SLMs) for accelerated research.

How Instructors Are Using AI

The top three ways instructors are using AI in their teaching are:

• Designing course materials (22%)
• Assisting in administrative tasks (16%)
• Creating images or visualizations (15%)

Pumping Up Productivity & Enhancing User Experience

Improving staff productivity is a key priority for higher education institutions investing in AI. AI PCs provide the tools necessary to drive this improvement. On-device AI reduces compute traffic on university data centers, enabling more efficient use of campus resources. Furthermore, AI PCs streamline device maintenance through automated diagnostics and updates, freeing up IT teams to focus on critical projects.

AI PCs also deliver a more personalized user experience by gathering data on user behavior to optimize power settings and suggest relevant applications. During video conferencing, AI can automatically adjust audio and video features for an optimal experience.

Device Security Considerations

Maintaining security and protecting sensitive data is a primary concern for institutions when considering device refreshes. The rich data processed by AI-enabled PCs makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals. A study found that 82% of higher education privacy and security professionals consider data security their top concern with AI initiatives.

Managing security with AI-powered devices is challenging, especially with hybrid workforces and remote workers, which expand the organization's attack surface. Mixed-OS environments also present security complexities. By 2027, 88% of all PCs shipped are expected to be AI-enabled.

The Refresh Answer: The Lenovo Aura Edition Experience

Lenovo Aura Edition AI PCs, powered by Intel® Core™™ Ultra processors and Windows 11 Pro, offer a compelling solution for device refreshes. These devices deliver exceptional AI performance, a personalized user experience, and robust security. They are cool, quiet, thin, and powerful, featuring best-in-class battery life and graphics. Users can leverage exclusive AI-powered Smart Modes to automate tasks, group settings, and optimize system performance.

Amplifying the User Experience

AI technology enhances the user experience by providing faculty and staff with a modern, updated work environment, including extended battery life. AI assists users in organizing and managing their workflows for maximum personal productivity.

Lenovo Smart Modes

The Lenovo ThinkPad® X1 14 Aura Edition and other Aura Edition devices feature various automated Smart Modes to boost faculty and staff productivity:

• Shield Mode: Delivers automated security features to protect users and allows them to focus on tasks without worry.
• Collaboration Mode: Automatically adjusts device settings for a productive virtual meeting experience with enhanced video features.
• Attention Mode: Blocks access to pre-set domains and notifications for a focused and productive user experience.
• Power Mode: Reduces device power consumption and improves battery performance for extended use.
• Wellness Mode: Provides automated alerts for eye breaks and posture adjustments to support digital health and ergonomics.

Additionally, Lenovo Aura Edition devices support productive collaboration through Smart Share, enabling easy transfer of photos and files from iOS and Android smartphones via the Intel® Unison™ app.

Shields Up with Aura Edition Security Features

Lenovo Aura Edition devices incorporate unique security features powered by AI technology. Localized AI processing reduces security risks by processing sensitive data on the device rather than transferring it to the public cloud. This approach minimizes the potential for institutional data exposure to malicious actors and aligns with higher education data privacy regulations.

Lenovo Aura Edition devices, including the ThinkPad® X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition, offer Shield Mode, which uses computer vision to detect shoulder surfing and automatically blurs the screen. When on public Wi-Fi, Shield Mode prompts VPN usage for secure traffic.

Further security is provided through Lenovo ThinkShield®, Intel vPro®, and Windows 11 Pro, offering comprehensive hardware, software, and services solutions. These include Firmware Resiliency 2.0 for enhanced self-healing capabilities and SecureWipe 2.0 for secure data deletion from drives.

Lenovo's commitment to security extends to end-of-life device management through Asset Recovery Services (ARS), which mitigate environmental and data security risks associated with asset disposal, providing proper data destruction documentation and certificates.

Transforming Your University with the Power of AI PCs

With AI spending projected to grow nearly threefold in the next 12 months, higher education institutions are at a critical juncture. Those that embrace AI will lead, while others will struggle to keep pace.

Lenovo Aura Edition PCs, powered by Intel® Core™™ Ultra processors and Windows 11 Pro, offer a pathway to quickly integrate the transformative power of AI for faculty and staff. When combined with services like Lenovo's DaaS, ARS, and Premier Support Plus, AI PCs become essential for modernizing work, security, and efficiency. AI PCs are no longer experimental; they represent the future of work.

Ready to transform your education institution? Contact your Lenovo team for a free consultation with an AI solutions specialist or visit Lenovo Aura Edition Education to learn more.

Sources

1. IDC, "CIO Playbook 2025 Survey," commissioned by Lenovo, February 2025
2. IDC, "CIO Playbook 2025 Survey," commissioned by Lenovo, February 2025
3. IDC, "CIO Playbook 2025 Survey," commissioned by Lenovo, February 2025
4. IDC, "CIO Playbook 2025 Survey," commissioned by Lenovo, February 2025
5. Jenay Robert and Mark McCormack, "2025 EDUCAUSE AI Landscape Study: Into the Digital AI Divide." Research report. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE, February 2025
6. IDC, "CIO Playbook 2025 Survey," commissioned by Lenovo, February 2025
7. Jenay Robert and Mark McCormack, "2025 EDUCAUSE AI Landscape Study: Into the Digital AI Divide." Research report. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE, February 2025
8. Lenovo Qualitative Commercial Study, January 2025

Lenovo 2025. All rights reserved. v1.00 April 2025.

AI PC Deployment and Transformation Roadmap

Integrating AI PCs into an institution requires careful planning. This roadmap outlines steps to maximize sustainability, productivity, security, and ROI with Lenovo Aura Edition AI PCs.

01: Deploy and Build IT Readiness

• Infrastructure Review: Assess current IT infrastructure for AI PC compatibility.
• Security Policy Assessment: Review and update security policies, accommodating hybrid AI processing (cloud and local).
• IT Team Preparation: Train the IT team on AI PC capabilities and AI-powered security features.
• Pilot Program: Launch an AI PC pilot focused on high-impact users (e.g., faculty, administrators, operations teams).
• Gather Data: Monitor early AI-attributed productivity and security gains.

02: Expand the Rollout and Optimize Security

• Expand Rollout: Scale AI PC deployment to additional business functions (HR, finance, security).
• Implement AI Security: Utilize threat detection features like Shield Mode and ThinkShield.
• Reduce AI Services: Minimize dependencies on external cloud services where possible to reduce costs.
• Implement Smart Care: Guide users towards Smart Care for automated troubleshooting and reduced IT support burden.
• Track ROI: Continuously gather data on how AI PCs are driving measurable productivity gains.

03: Integrate AI into Workflows

• Assess AI Workloads: Optimize AI workloads across hybrid infrastructure (cloud and local).
• Automate Workflows: Apply AI-driven business intelligence and analytics to automate workflows.
• Update Collaboration Tools: Deploy collaboration technology across the organization.
• Update Power Management: Implement power management to improve overall energy efficiency.
• Review ROI: Measure the impact of AI-driven automation on staff time and strategic work gains.

04: Scale AI Gains for Ongoing Business Transformation

• Scale AI PC Use: Establish AI PCs as the foundation for organization-wide AI transformation.
• Continue Enhancements: Pursue additional AI-driven automation opportunities for greater efficiency and innovation.
• Extend Device Longevity: Emphasize predictive maintenance to enhance the sustainability impact of AI PCs.
• Grow AI Literacy: Continuously update IT teams and leadership on the latest AI innovations.
• Evaluate Results: Review the impact of AI PC adoption on business goals and identify insights for continued improvements.

Ready to take the next step? Contact Lenovo today to develop your customized AI PC adoption roadmap.