According to the latest forecast from market research firm Gartner, by 2026, AI personal computers will account for 43% of the market share. This means that in the future, large enterprises will almost exclusively choose computers equipped with AI technology. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?
Gartner predicts that the shipment of AI personal computers will reach 43 million units in 2024, nearly doubling from 2023. By 2025, this number will surge to 114 million units, a staggering increase of 165%. While these figures might excite computer manufacturers, it does not necessarily indicate the emergence of a killer AI application. In fact, it reflects the growing difficulty in purchasing a computer without an AI chip.
Image source note: The image was generated by AI, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney
In Gartner's view, AI personal computers refer to those equipped with neural processing units (NPUs). Although current desktop applications do not require extensive hardware support, analysts believe that such configurations will become ubiquitous in the future. Buyers may opt for these AI computers to prepare for future demands. While there is no clear "killer application" yet, it might just be around the corner.
It is worth mentioning that Enrique Lores, CEO of HP, recently stated in a meeting that he expects AI personal computers to account for about 50% of shipments by 2027, and anticipates a 5% to 10% increase in the industry's average selling price. Meanwhile, Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC, also noted that while enterprises recognize the importance of AI, many are still struggling to find direct application cases, thus choosing AI personal computers as a future safeguard.
In the long run, the rise of AI personal computers is almost inevitable. As NPU technology gradually spreads to lower-end computers, producing processors without NPUs may become increasingly costly. This poses a challenge for some manufacturers, especially Intel, as the competitive environment is more intense than ever before.
Microsoft and Qualcomm are pushing an alternative platform, with the Arm architecture showing its competitive edge for the first time. It can be said that future CPU suppliers will have more opportunities, and competition will become fierce.
Key Points:
📈 AI personal computers are expected to account for 43% of the PC market by 2025, with shipments significantly increasing.
🤖 It will become increasingly difficult to buy a computer without an AI chip in the future, limiting enterprise choices.
💰 HP predicts that by 2027, AI personal computers will account for 50% of shipments, with prices rising by 5% to 10%.