AI fatigue? Well, HP just updated its AI Companion app — here's what it can do.

HP's Amplify 2025 conference is underway, and alongside a host of new hardware, the company has unveiled some new and refreshed AI software headed onto its compatible PCs.

I'm most interested in the updated HP AI Companion, as it appears to want to do a lot of the same things Windows 11's Copilot+ can do, especially in a professional setting.

Also looking to take a bite out of Microsoft's suite of AI tools is HP's updated Poly Camera Pro software, which feels a lot like Windows Studio Effects and its reliance on an NPU to make you look your best.

I'm taking a look at these two new AI features before getting into some of HP's other, less AI-focused projects announced at Amplify 2025.

HP's updated AI Companion brings local AI assistance to your laptop

Microsoft's Copilot is one of the most recognized AI assistants around, and the more advanced Copilot+ available on specific Windows 11 PCs keeps everything local while introducing more potent tools.

HP is seemingly looking to take a bit out of Copilot's sandwich by announcing updates to its HP AI Companion. HP says:

"This research assistant can securely analyze sensitive files, query offline business reviews on the go, and seamlessly call on the intelligence of AI for all of your everyday tasks."

That sounds a lot like Copilot, and indeed there are a number of similarities between HP AI Companion and Copilot+ at a quick glance.

HP's suite of AI tools is designed to run locally — just like Copilot+ — to improve security and performance. And just like Copilot+, it requires an NPU with at least 40 TOPS of power to run locally.

Notably, you'll need one of HP's AI PCs with at least 32GB of RAM for local AI work, whereas you can get away with 16GB for cloud AI.

The HP AI Companion is built using the Phi 3.5 LLM for on-device calculations, while it taps GPT-4o for any assistance from the cloud.

Listed are Windows 11 Home, Pro, and ARM versions, so it's expected that the AI Companion will work across HP's Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm AI PCs. It appears that compatibility and features will roll out throughout 2025.

Here's a look at the major features expected in HP's AI Companion, as pulled from HP's official press release.

• Library: Build curated libraries of your personal content or even sensitive documents that you can ask AI Companion to Analyze securely. Libraries are always created and saved on your device.
• Analyze: Select a specific Library for AI Companion to analyze and assess your personal content to get actionable insights.
• Ask: Experience the power of AI-powered tools and knowledge at your fingertips without a library created. Explore new concepts, find answers to your questions, discover information, or just converse with your intelligent AI Companion.
• Snip to Prompt: Within the Ask assistant using cloud mode, take a screen shot of your screen and use for added prompt context. Save time searching for information or even analyzing data.
• Perform: Perform assistant works in the background to automatically update and make ongoing adjustments like maintaining system drivers, BIOS and firmware. Ask AI, via text or voice, to adjust settings like the screen brightness or volume or even receive troubleshooting assistance on HP products.
• Voice: Speak your thoughts, ideate or even ask a broad range of questions to your AI Companion by simply using your voice within the Ask, Analyze and Perform assistants. Additionally, have the peace of mind that your voice always stays on device.
• Spotlight: Showcases key ISV partners to exemplify the power of AI PCs and workflows.
• Keylogger Protection: Maintain privacy with keylogger protection powered by Wolf Security.

Seeing individual companies like HP create proprietary AI toolboxes for local use on Windows laptops doesn't come as a surprise, as Copilot+ isn't able to offer the same level of customization per brand.

In this case, HP is focusing more on professional use, especially with ISV hints and extra AI keylogging protection tied into HP's enterprise-level Wolf Security.

Poly Camera Pro expands its AI video collaboration tools

HP's new AI Companion isn't the only addition that feels familiar to anyone who's been paying attention to AI tools in Windows.

Poly Camera Pro is an updated AI-powered tool for your camera(s), building on some of the features available for Windows Studio Effects (WSE) with a more collaborative spin.

Like WSE, Poly Camera Pro employs your PC's NPU to handle local real-time video adjustments and effects.

Compatible with Windows 11 Home, Pro, and ARM, HP says the new camera tools will be available on some of its OmniBook, OmniStudio, ProBook, EliteBook, ProStudio, EliteStudio, and mobile workstation PCs.

Poly Camera Pro isn't entirely new but has received several fresh features expected to arrive in Spring 2025. Here they are, as laid out in HP's press release:

• Magic Background: Powered by the NPU, AI helps you restyle your background with preset aesthetics or custom text and color prompts. Because it’s working with your original background, Poly Camera Pro will retain your perspective and lighting so you still look like you belong.
• Multi-camera Support: Share content from a variety of sources – multiple cameras, app screens and windows, streaming videos and images.
• Presenter Overlay: Create custom video streams by layering your digital content and camera sources with presenter overlays and picture-in-picture.
• Streaming Integration: Enjoy native streaming instantly with YouTube, Real-time messaging protocol (RTMP), and more without having to leave Poly Camera Pro.

HP Go offers seamless 5G everywhere

HP Go isn't exactly an AI tool, but it is a new feature that's coming to HP's AI PCs starting with the Qualcomm-powered EliteBook 6 G1q and more later on in 2025.

HP Go should be a big deal for those who often use 5G wireless on their laptop, as it can seamlessly move you between carriers depending on which one is offering the best connection at your location.

At its core, HP Go is an eSIM profile that's set up and ready to go; all you need to do is turn on your laptop and start working.

👉 Related: Best 5G laptops in 2025

It will automatically recognize when you're too far from Wi-Fi for a reliable signal, at which time it'll switch to 5G.

With T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon on board, whichever carrier has the best connection will be the one that serves your laptop with internet access.