AI PCs Set to Dominate Global Market by 2025, Despite Temporary Headwinds

Don't want an AI PC? Tough, they're coming to take overs, new figures claim

US tariffs are causing some headwinds, but this could be temporary AI PCs will make up nearly one-third (31%) of the global PC market by the end of 2025, with an estimated 77.8 million units expected to be shipped, new figures have claimed. This growth shows no sign of slowing down just yet, with AI-capable PCs set to dominate the market with a 55% share next year (equalling 143 million units), the latest Gartner figures have claimed. Factoring in refresh cycles and market trends, Garnter says AI PCs will be "the norm" by 2029 across workplaces and homes. The figures show this segment of the PC market has already doubled since in 2024(15.6% vs. 31%) - with laptops remain a firm favorite, with AI laptops having more than double the market share than AI desktops. Gartner Senior Director Analyst Ranjit Atwal said that although adoption has slowed somewhat due to geopolitical-induced tariffs, "users will invest in AI PCs to ensure they are prepared for the growing integration of AI at the edge." Canalys Principal Analyst Ben Yeh agreed: "The Trump administration's evolving tariff policies continue to reshape global PC supply chains while casting significant uncertainty over market recovery." Separate research from Canalys found AI-capable PCs had reached a 23% market share by the fourth quarter of 2024 - up over the 17% full-year average. This adoption has been helped by the fact AI PCs are starting to bed into the market after a few iterations - for example Apple's M-series computers are considered AI-capable. Being up to five years old, prices have come down, democratizing consumer access to powerful machinery. Looking ahead, Gartner predicts further developments to allow multiple small language models to run locally on AI PCs by the end of 2026, up from zero in 2023.

AI PC Shipments to Hit 77 Million Units This Year: Report

31% of the global PC market share will be occupied by AI PCs by the end of 2025. AI PCs will make up 31% of the worldwide PC market by the end of 2025, according to Gartner. Shipments are projected to hit 77.8 million units this year, with adoption accelerating to 55% of the global market in 2026 and becoming the standard by 2029. "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," said Ranjit Atwal, senior director analyst at Gartner, in a statement. Despite this, users are expected to continue investing in AI PCs to prepare for greater edge AI integration. AI laptop adoption is projected to outpace desktops, with 36% of laptops expected to be AI-enabled by 2025, compared to 16% of desktops. By 2026, nearly 59% of laptops will fall into this category. Businesses lar