Artificial intelligence (AI) PCs will represent 31% of the total PC market globally by the end of 2025, according to Gartner, which says worldwide shipments of AI PCs are projected to total 77,8-million units this year.
“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,” says Ranjit Atwal, senior director analyst at Gartner. “Nevertheless, users will invest in AI PCs to ensure they are prepared for the growing integration of AI at the edge.”
Gartner analysts forecast AI PC shipments will total 143-million units and are projected to represent 55% of the total PC market in 2026. By 2029, AI PCs will become the norm.
Worldwide AI PC Share and Shipments, 2024-2026
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
| AI PC Share of Total PC Market (%) | 15.6 | 31.0 | 54.7 |
| AI Laptop Share of Total Laptop Market (%) | 19.4 | 35.7 | 58.7 |
| AI Desktop Share of Total Desktop Market (%) | 3.8 | 16.4 | 42.1 |
| Total AI PC Units (Thousands) | 38,145 | 77,792 | 143,113 |
Source: Gartner (August 2025)
Demand Preferences
The choice of an AI PC differs between businesses and consumers. Their decision primarily revolves around the choice of AI PC processor platform. Gartner forecasts that Arm-based laptops will gain a larger share of the consumer market than the business market as application compatibility challenges are overcome. In the business segment, users prefer x86 on Windows, which is expected to make up 71% of the AI business laptop market in 2025 – with Arm making up 24%.
Investments in AI Capabilities on PCs
To align with the wider availability of AI PCs, Gartner expects that by end of 2026, 40% of software vendors will prioritise investments in AI capabilities directly on PCs – up from 2% in 2024. In the same year, multiple small language models (SLMs) will run locally on PCs – up from zero in 2023.
SLMs are making it possible to run advanced AI features directly on PCs and devices overall, enabling faster response times, lower energy consumption and reduced reliance on cloud services. SLMs provide task-specific intelligence – and since AI runs directly on devices – SLMs help keep user and business data secure.
Future of AI PCs
To unlock new 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,” says Atwal. “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.”