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AI PCs to surge, claiming over half the market by 2026

AI PCs to surge, claiming over half the market by 2026

Personal computers with AI embedded in the hardware components and software stack are set to hit 77.8 million units in 2025, making up 31% of the global PC market, according to a new study released today by Gartner Research. Despite some market hurdles that have tempered Gartner’s earlier forecasts , adoption is growing, with AI PCs projected to surpass 50% of sales by 2026. Because of the high costs and security risks around cloud AI deployments, more companies are planning to roll out AI on PCs this year, according to a recent IDC study . The percentage of AI PCs in use is expected to grow from just 5% in 2023 to 94% by 2028, IDC said. [ More AI PC news and insights ] “AI PCs are reshaping the market, but their adoption in 2025 is slowing because of tariffs and pauses in PC buying caused by market uncertainty,” said Ranjit Atwal , a senior director of research at Gartner. “Nevertheless, users will invest in AI PCs to ensure they are prepared for the growing integration of AI at the edge.” The key decision now is which AI PC processor to use, according to Gartner. Arm-based laptops will grow more in the consumer market as AI app compatibility improves, Gartner said. In business, x86 on Windows will dominate, commanding 71% of AI laptops in 2025, while Arm will hold 24%. To unlock new growth, PC vendors must move beyond hardware and deliver software-defined, user-centric AI PCs designed for specific roles and use cases, according to Atwal. “The future of AI PCs is in customization,” he said. “It lets users configure their devices with the apps, features and functions they want. The more users interact with a vendor’s AI PC, the better the vendor understands them, allowing for ongoing improvements and stronger brand loyalty.” According to Forrester Research, 55% of US online adults said that they like the fact that AI PCs keep private interactions on their computer. At the same time, 50% don’t understand why they would want an AI PC, and 61% don’t believe that they use AI enough to need an AI PC, according to Forrester’s February 2025 Consumer Pulse Survey . Over 60% of US online adults are inclined to wait for the price of AI PCs to decrease before considering a purchase; only 33% are more likely to upgrade sooner to get an AI PC, the survey stated. What is an AI PC? Organizations are embracing generative AI on PCs because it keeps data local — unlike cloud-based AI — helping address IT leaders’ top concern: security. The new PCs make use of local AI processing rather than always relying on cloud-based solutions. Because of that, the top three features of AI PCs that IDC’s survey respondents found most compelling are personalized employee experiences (77%), improved data privacy (75%), and enhanced security risk prevention (74%). AI PCs have dedicated processors — NPUs, GPUs, and CPUs — to accelerate AI tasks. Those processors are designed specifically for tasks like image recognition, language processing, and other machine learning inferences. Newer AI-specific NPUs (neural processing units) from Intel (Meteor Lake), AMD (Ryzen AI), and Qualcomm (Snapdragon X Elite) are expected to flood the market over the next two years to meet AI PC demand. GPUs (graphics processing units), which were traditionally used for computer graphics, have also proven excellent for parallel AI computations. AI tasks like generative models and deep learning benefit from GPU acceleration. Nvidia, with its AI-optimized GPUs (like the RTX), which are widely used for AI-based tasks, has been the primary beneficiary of the GPU-powered AI trend. AI has also been integrated into OSes such as Windows 11, which features Copilot along with voice recognition and Windows Studio Effects. AI capabilities are embedded in apps (e.g., Microsoft Office with Copilot, Adobe Creative Suite with Firefly, etc.). The apps use the NPU/GPU when available to accelerate AI-driven tasks like photo editing, summarization, and transcription. By the end of 2026, 40% of software vendors will focus on AI built for PCs — up from just 2% in 2024, according to Gartner. Small language models (SLMs) will run locally on devices. SLMs bring fast , efficient, and secure AI to PCs, cutting reliance on the cloud while keeping data local and private, Gartner said. SLMs can be built from scratch using open-source AI frameworks , which means an organization can create a highly customizable AI tool for any purpose without having to ask for permission, it can study how the system works and inspect its components, and it can modify the system for any purpose, including to change its output. AI PCs are more than a marketing gimmick — they are a means to improved productivity, Steve Long, senior vice president of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group, said in an earlier interview with Computerworld . “AI PCs give time back to the user,” he said. “Whether it’s generating marketing content, summarizing meetings, or streamlining workflows with apps like Microsoft 365 Copilot or Personal.ai, these devices handle the heavy lifting so teams can stay focused on higher-value work. The result is real productivity.” AI PCs also have proactive and autonomous functions like real-time threat detection that runs on the device without slowing it down, he says, and they offer predictive maintenance, which helps IT stay ahead of failures. Finally, Long says AI PCs make for a more personalized experience because these devices adapt to how you work, such as summarizing meetings in your tone, writing emails with M365 Copilot, or surfacing relevant insights using personal AI agents from previous projects. “It’s like having a digital assistant who gets smarter every day and never sleeps, and because it all happens locally, it’s fast, secure, and tailored to you,” Long said.