AI PCs to Rule the Enterprise by 2026? Gartner Thinks So

Spoiler alert:  The machines are coming. No, it’s not some sci-fi movie plot, it’s just your future office setup. By 2026, AI-powered laptops and PCs will be dominating the enterprise world, at least if we believe the latest report from the tech prophets at Gartner.

 The Quick Breakdown:

• AI PCs are about to take over enterprise IT, with a projected 43% of all PC shipments next year being AI-enabled.
• By 2025, AI laptops alone will account for more than half (51%) of laptop shipments.
• By 2026, large enterprises might not even have the option to purchase non-AI laptops. Vendors are all-in on this tech.

According to  Ranjit Atwal , senior director analyst at Gartner, the days of wondering “should we buy AI PCs” are over. The question now? Which AI PC should you buy. Businesses won’t pay extra for these futuristic features (thankfully), but the AI functionalities will be the only game in town, and who doesn’t want a secure, private computing environment, right?

AI PCs: The New Norm?

If you’ve been keeping up with the hardware hype (because who hasn’t), then you know the race is on. PC manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Intel are throwing their chips into the AI arena, literally. These aren’t just any laptops—they’re smarter, faster, and more AI-ready than your average Joe PC.

But hold up, not everyone’s doing the wave for this AI takeover. Yes, AI PCs sound cool and futuristic, but let’s be real: Privacy is a massive concern. A Deloitte report ranks    data privacy    as the top ethical dilemma, and IT pros are sweating over whether these systems will be transparent and accurate. Oh, and the whole intellectual property issue? Yeah, that’s still a thing.

Add in the fact that 60% of organizations have a giant gap between their data ecosystems and AI’s needs, and it’s clear there are hurdles to jump before these AI PCs become the standard.

The Slow Road to AI Domination

So, are AI PCs really going to dominate your workspace tomorrow? Maybe not. Analysts are playing a cautious game here. Sure, Gartner says we’ll see a big wave of AI PCs by 2026, but IDC (another big name in tech analysis) thinks it’ll take a little longer for everyone to hop on board.

While Gartner’s forecast shows AI PCs making up 43% of total shipments by 2025, IDC is predicting that by 2028, a whopping 92% of all PCs will have some AI juice running through their circuits. That’s a whole lotta AI.

Still, as IDC’s  Jitesh Ubrani  notes, AI is cool, but it’s not yet the dealbreaker for most PC buyers. Businesses see AI as a future-proofing measure more than anything else right now.

Brace for the AI Onslaught

The day when AI PCs are the only option? Gartner says it’s coming—2026 to be exact. By then, you won’t find any “regular” laptops in large enterprises. Good ol’ x86-based laptops will still dominate the market for a while though, at least through 2025. But if you were hoping for a quiet, fan-less Arm-based laptop, don’t hold your breath. Not all business software is compatible with Arm-based systems, so expect some    pretty limited experiences there.

Mika Kitagawa , another analyst at Gartner, points out that AI laptops will have a built-in NPU (neural processing unit) to handle on-device AI tasks, making them faster and more efficient. Forget the cloud—on-device AI is where it’s at for businesses. And it’s all part of the shift toward edge computing (which, in non-tech-speak, just means making your machines smarter on their own, without relying on faraway servers).

Small Language Models: The Real MVPs?

The real magic behind AI PCs comes down to    small language models    (SLMs) and    tiny language models    (TLMs). These AI systems can operate locally, even without an internet connection. That means you can have an AI assistant right on your laptop, answering business questions and helping you make decisions in real-time.

According to  Jon Nordmark , CEO at Iterate.ai, operating AI on a PC is way more energy-efficient—10 times less energy compared to running similar queries through the cloud. Plus, it’s better for your privacy, which is always a win in this age of data breaches and creepy algorithms.

Are We at the Tipping Point?

Not quite. The tech is promising, but it’s still pricey to throw AI chips into every laptop. Plus, companies are still figuring out how to    actually use    this AI power on a day-to-day basis. Privacy issues and fears of AI misuse are also pumping the brakes a bit. However, the hype around AI-powered PCs suggests they’ll eventually become the norm, even if it takes a while.

Instead of being passive, AI PCs are designed to predict what you need, automate boring tasks, and adapt to your habits. As  Jon Morgan , CEO of Venture Smarter, puts it, this is a major leap from the static machines we’re used to. But don’t expect to ditch your regular PC tomorrow. The shift to AI PCs will likely happen gradually as more people see the real benefits.

TL;DR : AI PCs are coming, and they’re coming fast. By 2026, they might be the only choice for enterprises, and by 2028, nearly all PCs could be AI-powered. But before you toss out your old machine, remember—AI PCs still have a way to go in proving they’re worth the investment, both in terms of cost and privacy.

So, will we all be working on AI PCs soon? Maybe. But don’t expect your PC to    actually take over your job just yet.

Now, what’s your move? Got questions about AI PCs or just want to future-proof your IT game? Reach out to Arrow PC Network.

Let’s get you prepped for the AI takeover.