Windows 11 now tracks ai hardware usage in task manager

Microsoft is turning up the heat on AI monitoring in Windows 11, with a new Task Manager feature that provides real-time insights into how applications utilize the neural processing units (NPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) equipped with AI capabilities.

Window 11 task manager ai tracking

This marks a significant shift in Microsoft's approach to AI transparency, as the company acknowledges the widespread adoption of AI-accelerated hardware in modern PCs. Even without explicit user awareness, most computers now come equipped with NPUs and Tensor Cores in graphics cards from Nvidia, which have been leveraging AI for years.

Until now, users had limited options for monitoring AI hardware utilization, relying on third-party tools or hoping for occasional glimpses into system resources. Microsoft is changing that with the updated Task Manager in Windows 11, which will display optional columns for NPU and GPU usage, memory dedicated to AI tasks, and shared memory allocation.

According to Microsoft's blog, the NPU and GPU information will be available in the Processes, Users, and Details pages of Task Manager. This will provide a granular view of which applications are harnessing AI capabilities and how much system resources they're consuming.

The feature is already live in the Windows 11 Insider Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Build 29576.1000, available in the Canary channel. It's unclear when the update will reach mainstream users, but the move represents a step forward in Microsoft's efforts to make AI more transparent and accountable within its ecosystem.