News in the Channel - issue #38

AI PCS

guide them through that critical first step of understanding why AI matters for their organisation. “Once a customer truly realises the value of AI, there is no going back. That journey creates a powerful services opportunity for resellers, from assessment and enablement through to deployment and optimisation.” Simone says the key value of AI PCs lies in productivity gains, enabling employees to work more efficiently with less friction. “Resellers should also highlight the governance advantages of on-device AI, which helps organisations maintain greater control over sensitive data and comply with regulatory requirements,” she says. “Sustainability is another important differentiator, as intelligent power optimisation reduces energy usage while modular designs and lifecycle services support circularity and long-term value. Through enablement programmes and frameworks like Lenovo 360, partners are well positioned to evolve from transactional selling to outcome-based conversations that integrate devices, services and AI solutions.” Mainstream expectation The market for AI PCs is developing quickly, but the expectation is that it will become a mainstream demand before long. “Over the next 12 months, AI PCs will shift from being a premium talking point to a mainstream expectation in many commercial refresh cycles,” says Anjana. “More everyday AI capabilities will run locally, driven by the need for speed, privacy and cost control, and buying criteria will become clearer. Customers will increasingly look closely at NPU capability, overall performance, battery life and enterprise-grade features, rather than headline claims. “People often ask me if there is one killer AI application. I don’t think there is, and that’s the point. AI is being woven into lots of everyday workflows in small

but meaningful ways. And just like touchscreens, once people start using it, they can’t imagine working without it.” Simone agrees that AI PCs are likely to shift from being seen as a premium differentiator to becoming a standard expectation within enterprise refresh cycles. “We expect broader software optimisation for on-device AI, deeper integration between PCs and hybrid cloud environments, and growing demand for managed AI services delivered through the channel,” she adds. “Sustainability considerations will also play a larger role as organisations look to balance AI-driven productivity with energy efficiency and net-zero commitments. “The market conversation will move beyond standalone AI features toward orchestrated transformation, where intelligent devices, edge systems and data centre infrastructure operate as a cohesive AI ecosystem. In that environment, AI PCs will be foundational to enabling secure, sustainable and scalable AI adoption.” James says he expects sales of AI PCs to gather momentum throughout the rest of this year. “As NPUs become more of a standard component in the spec of higher-end systems, I think we will see them become the default choice for many if not most PC buyers,” he adds. n

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We expect broader software

optimisation for on-device

AI, deeper integration between PCs and hybrid cloud environments, and growing demand for managed AI services delivered through the channel.

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