Tariffs and market uncertainties have been slowing down the global adoption of Artificial intelligence (AI) PCs in 2025, reported Gartner, Inc. a Stamford-based business and technology insights firm on Monday (September 1, 2025).
“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,” observed Ranjit Atwal, senior director analyst at Gartner.
However, he said, “Nevertheless, users will invest in AI PCs to ensure they are prepared for the growing integration of AI at the edge.”
According to Gartner, AI PCs will represent 31% of the total PC market globally by the end of 2025. Worldwide shipments of AI PCs are projected to total 77.8 million units in 2025.
AI PC shipments would total 143 million units and are projected to represent 55% of total PC market in 2026. By 2029, AI PCs will become the norm, forecast Gartner.
Gartner further said, to unlock growth, PC vendors must move beyond hardware and deliver software-defined, user-centric AI PCs designed for specific roles and use cases.
“The future of AI PCs is in customisation. 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,’‘ said Mr. Atwal.
Commenting on building AI capabilities on PCs, the market insight firm said, to align with the wider availability of AI PCs, by end of 2026, 40% of software vendors would prioritise investments in AI capabilities directly on PCs, up from 2% in 2024. In the same year, multiple small language models (SLMs) would run locally on PCs, up from zero in 2023. SLMs provide task-specific intelligence, and since AI runs directly on devices, SLMs help keep user and business data secure.
Published – September 01, 2025 05:02 pm IST
