AI PCs Could Be the Next Big Seller

Key Takeaway: 80 percent of companies surveyed in an IDC study are planning to purchase AI PCs with integrated Neural Processing Units. Local AI processing promises greater data privacy, lower latency, and independence from cloud services.

80 percent of companies surveyed in a new IDC study are already considering the purchase of so-called AI PCs. The study identifies the democratization of AI as a major benefit of this development.

German television is currently running advertisements for AI PCs from a leading international vendor. These devices are said to be particularly well-suited for business use, with the advantage of handling AI workloads better and faster than conventional PCs.

An IDC Research study sponsored by AMD, based on interviews with 670 IT decision-makers in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, examines not only the opportunities but also IT security and compliance concerns. According to the study and a Computerwoche article about it, the share of AI PCs deployed in enterprises will rise from just around 5 percent in 2023 to 94 percent by 2028.

Broader AI adoption across the workforce

Of the 670 IT decision-makers surveyed, 97 percent want to make artificial intelligence accessible to more employees than currently. As Tom Mainelli, IDC Vice President for Devices and Consumer Research, puts it, this reflects “a broader trend toward the democratization of AI capabilities, ensuring that teams across functions and levels can benefit from its transformative potential.”

Easier access to AI tools increasingly tailored to specific tasks would help boost productivity, collaboration, and innovation across all industries.

Image source: Pexels/Ron Lach

However, respondents cite data privacy (36 percent), security risks (32 percent), costs (31 percent), and potential compliance issues (29 percent) as the biggest challenges of broader cloud-based AI tool access. 26 percent are concerned that AI tools cannot be tailored to individual employee needs, while another 26 percent see no viable use cases.

25 percent are unsure about the added value, and 23 percent even fear performance and network issues. 22 percent each say it is too early for broader AI tool access, and an equal share see IP sovereignty at risk.

A More Positive Outlook Than Two Years Ago

According to Computerwoche, the new IDC study builds on the AMD 2023 Commercial Survey but reveals several emerging trends: security concerns about AI were significantly higher in 2023, at 67 percent. IT decision-makers are also more optimistic about AI PCs boosting productivity — 76 percent today compared to 67 percent two years ago. The majority of respondents (82 percent) view AI PCs positively for employees and expect to invest in new hardware before the end of the year.

Cost remains the single biggest barrier to AI projects, according to the current study. Smaller companies need to budget between 50,000 and 500,000 dollars just for an internal GenAI instance, while costs at large enterprises can quickly run into the millions. There are also reservations and risks around cloud offerings in terms of data protection and cybersecurity. On the other hand, 74 percent of respondents believe AI PCs offer better prevention against security risks.

High Expectations Despite Frequently Unclear Benefits

According to the IDC study, companies worldwide are expected to spend 42 billion dollars on GenAI projects — including chatbots, research, marketing, and collaboration tools — by 2030. Yet the return on investment (ROI) is not always clear-cut, which is why nearly one in three GenAI projects is discontinued shortly after launch.

Respondents’ expectations around AI PC adoption are decidedly optimistic, though. 83 percent hope for fewer repetitive tasks, 79 percent expect AI-powered machines to help employees stay focused on what matters most, 76 percent anticipate greater productivity, and 75 percent each foresee fewer routine roles and more creativity across the workforce. Improved TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and accelerated investment cycles are anticipated by 74 and 72 percent of respondents, respectively.

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Cover image source: Pexels / Ron Lach