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Apple unveils M5 Ultra and M6 chips with focus on artificial intelligence
thedailystar.net Aug 27, 2026

Apple unveils M5 Ultra and M6 chips with focus on artificial intelligence

Curated by · TechCapsules ·

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Apple has introduced the M5 Ultra and M6 processors, enhancing computing capabilities for artificial intelligence and demanding workloads on Mac computers. The M5 Ultra, the company’s most powerful chip, features a quad-die design with up to 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, offering 1.2 terabytes per second of memory bandwidth. This represents a 50% increase over the M3 Ultra, targeting professional tasks like 3D rendering and local AI model execution. The M6, built on a 2-nanometre process, includes a 12-core CPU and two 16-core Neural Engines, delivering nearly 30% more peak GPU performance for AI tasks. These improvements aim to accelerate prompt processing for large language models run directly on devices. Apple emphasizes local AI processing, allowing developers to distribute workloads across hardware components rather than relying solely on cloud infrastructure. The new chips will power updated Mac Mini and Mac Studio models, with pre-orders for the Mac Mini already open and shipments scheduled after September 22.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · By prioritizing local AI processing, Apple reduces dependency on remote cloud infrastructure for large language models.
  • · This shift enhances data privacy and lowers latency for professional users running complex AI tasks directly on their devices.
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