Assessing the Future for AI PCs – What IT Execs are Saying

Over the past couple of years, AI has infiltrated virtually every aspect of digital infrastructure, with an initial focus on storage and compute servers. Now, as organizations move from proofs of concept to deployment of AI projects, interest is growing in the potential that the AI PC holds. Attendees of recent CIO Roundtables have provided their insights into what to expect from this new class of device.

First, though, what is an AI PC? These devices are PCs that incorporate modern technologies that allow them to run AI models and efficiently perform AI-based workloads. Like any PC, AI PCs have a CPU and a GPU, but they also typically have a neural processing unit (NPU) and far more RAM and much larger storage than an ordinary PC. Naturally, they don’t come cheap; these more powerful devices are expected to cost 10% to 15% more than non-AI PCs.

From comments made during recent CIO Roundtables, it is clear that adoption will be slow. That isn’t surprising, given that most current AI efforts are not PC-centric. Most CIO Roundtable participants also still have questions about the use cases for AI PCs and how they will deliver greater business benefit. Some are concerned as well that the software that will make it possible to take advantage of the NPU is still lacking. The IT leaders said they are sure the apps are coming, but they are in no rush to buy the new PCs before they arrive and are ready for evaluation.