It is a system component on Android devices that provides hardware acceleration and software support for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) operations. Functionally, it acts as a dedicated processing unit optimized for tasks like image recognition, natural language processing, and predictive analysis, enabling faster and more efficient execution of AI algorithms directly on the device.
This component is significant because it offloads computationally intensive AI tasks from the main CPU and GPU, leading to improved device performance, reduced power consumption, and enhanced user experiences. Its implementation contributes to faster response times in AI-powered applications, increased battery life, and the ability to run complex AI models directly on the device without relying on cloud connectivity. Early implementations were basic software libraries; contemporary versions often include dedicated hardware, such as neural processing units (NPUs).