Lenovo showcases a USB-C connected AI Stick with a 32 TOPS NPU on board

Lenovo has taken the wraps off the Lenovo AI Stick at MWC 2025 in Barcelona. The idea behind the product is right there in the name, and this time, the 'AI' isn't gratuitous. This USB-C Thunderbolt connected stick conceals a 32 TOPS NPU to enable those local AI-accelerated goodies Microsoft and its PC making partners are trying to convince you are the best thing since sliced bread. However, Lenovo's thumb-stick-sized device is flagged as a "proof of concept" for now.

Perhaps because the Lenovo AI Stick is a concept, we don't have many tech specs for the product. All we know from the specifications point of view is that the concept device includes an NPU that can deliver 32 TOPS. It also connects to the PC "via a USB-C Thunderbolt port," according to the official PR from Lenovo. Lastly, Lenovo suggests that the NPU will run faster if the AI Stick is powered with its adapter (connector on the side), which makes us wonder about USB-C-powered performance and the power requirements of this device.

It would be interesting to know who made this add-on NPU, but Lenovo isn't forthcoming with that detail. The major PC and device maker indicates that the AI Stick will deliver AI features, such as local Large Language Models (LLM) and AI-enhanced graphics apps, on the devices it connects with. Moreover, it is compatible with Lenovo's AI Now suite, which needs Windows 11 and an x86 CPU to run.

(Image credit: Lenovo)

(Image credit: Lenovo)

(Image credit: Lenovo)

So, if you fancy a little bit of NPU-accelerated local LLM fun, but your current PC doesn't have such hardware, Lenovo's AI Stick may be a good solution. It may appeal to those with a modern powerful processor without an NPU or a slower NPU (Hi, Arrow Lake). But remember, the Microsoft Copilot requirement is 40+ TOPS for wider AI feature support, so this stick isn't even up to that level.

Last but certainly not least, Lenovo also thinks the AI Stick might be of interest to those who already have NPUs or even discrete GPUs in their systems as it can "save GPU occupancy and reduce thermals for normal AI PCs."

Lenovo has an expansive range of wares at MWC this week. Earlier today, we published two detailed articles stuffed full of Lenovo devices. The first zoomed in on the range of new ThinkPads on show, as well as a Yoga device featuring an RTX 5070. The second pondered concept designs like a solar-powered Yoga PC, the ThinkBook Codename Flip with extending screen (which we have seen a few times before), a 3D-screen laptop, and some other concepts leveraging AI smarts.