Also called an "intelligent processing unit" (IPU), a neural processing unit (NPU) is a set of circuits or a chip that accelerates the execution of AI applications, known as "inference." See
AI training vs. inference.
The NPU accelerates matrix multiplication and non-linear functions, especially in desktop devices with limited computing power compared to datacenter operations. See
AI PC.
In 2016, Qualcomm introduced its Zeroth Machine Intelligence Platform and Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine that enable mobile devices to execute AI applications on their own rather than going to the cloud. See
neural network and
neuromorphic computing.