AI-Enhanced M4 Chips Reportedly Coming to Apple’s Full Mac Lineup

Apple’s M4 chips are on the horizon, and these AI-packed processors will roll out across the company’s Mac lineup, Bloomberg reports.

Production on the new chips is expected to begin soon, and will show up on Mac desktops, laptops, and towers in late 2024 and early 2025.

At least three chips with varying capabilities are in the works. The “Donan” M4 chip is considered “entry-level,” according to Bloomberg, while “Brava” brings more processing power. The most powerful chip leaked so far is code-named “Hidra” and may only be added to Apple’s next Mac Pro.

Apple’s Donan chips are designed for its next-gen MacBook Air laptops, its most basic MacBook Pro model, and future entry-level Mac mini computers. Brava chips are expected on the next generation of more expensive MacBook Pros and a more advanced version of the Mac mini.

Apple could also offer up to 500GB of memory integrated into the M4 processors on its priciest Mac desktop computers, which would help with on-machine AI processing because AI models run best on high-end CPUs, GPUs, and benefit from extra memory and ample storage.

Apple’s M3 chips, which launched as a trio last year, were just added to the MacBook Air.

While Apple has not made any announcements, the M4 chips will likely highlight Apple’s work on AI. “The big focus for Apple this year is to add new artificial intelligence features across its products,” Bloomberg notes.

Apple is reportedly researching and exploring making AI-powered robots for your home and adding AI to AirPods and smart glasses. Up first, it’s expected to make some software-related AI announcements at its annual developer conference in June, including a possible AI-powered Siri overhaul and Spotlight search improvements with iOS 18.