Microsoft gives Task Manager another task: Watching AI workloads

Microsoft extends the capabilities of its Task Manager application by adding support for monitoring artificial intelligence workloads on Windows devices. The once-simple tool, originally developed in the 1990s by Dave Plummer, now provides deeper visibility into AI-related processes. Previously, the Processes tab of Task Manager did not display information about the neural processing unit (NPU) or graphics processing unit (GPU) neural engine.

However, with the latest updates, this information is now available on compatible newer devices. The Performance tab also shows overall utilization. While Task Manager continues to evolve, the company emphasizes that it is primarily a diagnostic tool for performance and power consumption issues, particularly on battery-powered laptops.

Microsoft highlights the value of monitoring AI processing activity alongside traditional metrics like CPU, memory, storage, and networking data. The enhancements make Task Manager a familiar interface for users to keep track of AI-related metrics. However, the question remains whether the added telemetry is necessary and whether it will lead to feature bloat or simply enhance the tool's usefulness for developers.