Intel’s Vision for Modular PCs: Unveiling the AI8A Concept at CES 2025

At CES 2025, Intel showcased its private “Innovation Showcase,” presenting exciting technologies such as next-gen laptops and large stereo 3D handheld gaming PCs.

During the event, I noticed a heavy metal handheld device resting on a table that appeared to be loosely connected to its screen. When I lifted the screen, it detached effortlessly.

It felt suspiciously lightweight for a real tablet, so I flipped it over to reveal three connectors underneath:

Above it, on a shelf, was a laptop featuring a similarly sized chunk of plastic on the bottom that looked like a perfect fit. Moments later, Intel gaming evangelist Colin Helms confirmed that I was examining a prototype modular PC.

This module houses a complete Intel Lunar Lake computer, essentially the entire core of a PC. It’s a reimagining of Intel’s abandoned Compute Card concept, but it’s not solely Intel’s initiative, and you should not anticipate it reaching the market.

The concept comes from Quanta, a company not commonly recognized in the laptops and tablets they produce, as Quanta operates as an ODM (similar to Compal, Pegatron, Wistron, and Apple’s well-known iPhone supplier Foxconn) that designs and manufactures hardware for major brand names.

Quanta refers to the entire modular system as the “AI8A,” and the central module is known as the “Detachable AI Core.” Helms indicated that it connects to other conceptual computers as well, including an all-in-one desktop that Intel didn’t showcase. As with the Compute Card, this system allows users to upgrade their computers simply by swapping in a new module.

The modular laptop is equipped with numerous conceptual features, many of which Intel’s CES staff hadn’t fully explored yet.

For instance, the laptop features a motorized hinge, enabling it to automatically open and close its lid; it also boasts eye-tracking technology that allows users to position multitasking windows with just their gaze. Additionally, it includes a mouse integrated into a wearable ring.

In terms of practicality, it features a built-in Qi wireless charging pad in the palmrest, complete with indicator lights to display battery capacity.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t test any of these features, nor did I manage to clarify the meaning of “AI8A,” as I initially misread it as Aiba until reviewing my photos closely. We were also unable to hot-swap the module between the handheld and laptop since the module reportedly lacks an internal battery.

Once again, this represents an intriguing computing concept: it’s unlikely that this device will ever be manufactured, even in a more functional and less gimmicky form. Thankfully, modularity has started making a comeback in laptops since the discontinuation of Intel’s Compute Card. Framework recently celebrated its fifth anniversary this week, and Dell made strides at CES with its first modular repairable USB-C port.