Intel is predicting that its microprocessors will hit 10GHz by the year 2011. In addition, it is currently working on a system bus that is 10 times faster than its upcoming 400 MHz (4*100MHz) Pentium 4 system bus, working at effective speeds of around 4 GHz.
What will we do with all that processor power? Intel is working hard to bring high-end applications to your desktop featuring much more video, speech interaction, and more complex and functional user interfaces [geek.com]