AI PCs: Why Adoption Is Still a Challenge In India
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The advent of AI PCs has marked a significant milestone in the evolution of personal computing, promising to reshape how we work, create, and connect. While AI PCs are beginning to make their mark in India, particularly within the enterprise and premium consumer sectors, we're still in the early innings of widespread adoption.
What was initially seen as a futuristic concept has now started resonating with users, for features such as AI-assisted writing, image generation, performance tuning, and intelligent battery optimization. Counterpoint estimates that by the end of 2025, one-third of new PCs sold in India will have on device AI capabilities such as Generative AI or Agentic AI.
However, this still remains a premium and high tier focus and yet to trickle down to the mass market. Currently, AI PCs are positioned in the premium category owing to the advanced chipsets, built-in Neural Processing Units (NPUs), and software innovations, particularly considering it as a new category. Over time, as volumes scale and the ecosystem matures, price points will gradually decrease, much like previous transitions in technology leading to better adoption.
The Growth So Far
Dell Technologies have been working on AI integration in PCs for over two decades, with purpose-built accelerators that enhance performance, productivity, and user experience. In April 2025, Dell Technologies launched its latest business AI PC lineup featuring the Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max series.
"Today, in India, we believe AI will be a cornerstone in defining the next generation of computing. As users demand more intelligent, adaptive, and efficient solutions, AI PCs are becoming central to meeting these needs. Features such as real-time personalization, contextual responsiveness, and predictive performance are no longer optional; they are becoming the norm. And with the upcoming Windows 10 end of cycle in October, we anticipate a major refresh cycle across the market. This presents a pivotal opportunity for users to transition to AI-powered PCs, unlocking new levels of productivity and user-centric computing," said Indrajit Belgundi, senior director and general manager, client solutions group, Dell Technologies India.
As adoption accelerates, Dell foresees AI becoming indispensable in computing, especially in a dynamic and diverse market like India, driving transformation across sectors and empowering users with smarter, more intuitive tools.
Acer India expects exponential growth in the next two–three years. The shift from cloud-based AI to on-device AI is accelerating demand for hardware that can support these capabilities natively. Government initiatives, digital learning, remote work, and a rising creator economy are also contributing to this momentum.
"At Acer, our AI PC range—led by devices like the Acer Swift 14 AI and Predator Helios AI—has seen strong momentum. This growth is a result of ongoing efforts to demonstrate how on-device AI can make everyday tasks smarter, faster, and more personalized. The market's positive response reinforces our view that AI PCs are not a passing trend, but a transformative evolution in personal computing, and we remain committed to driving awareness and meaningful engagement in this space," said Sudhir Goel, Chief Business Officer, Acer India.
Acer is among the early movers in the AI PC space in India, and while the AI PC category is still evolving in terms of formal market share metrics, "We've carved a strong position across both consumer and gaming segments. Our focus so far has been on building awareness, educating customers about the practical benefits of on-device AI, and ensuring availability across key online and offline channels. Our share in AI PC within our portfolio will be in the early double digit," Goel added.
Over the last year, specific user groups, especially creators and professionals have been expecting to do more with their devices. "Despite current penetration still being modest, expectations are for AI PC volumes in India to grow 8–10 times from today's levels by the end of this year as replacement cycles kick in and Windows 10 devices reach end-of-support," said Arnold Su, Vice President, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India.
ASUS has seen strong growth across the board and believes that it will drive the next product replacement cycle for PCs. In the consumer segment, it has achieved an 18.5 percent market share backed by a 21.9 percent Y-O-Y growth.
AI PCs penetration is expected to double by next year, and globally, they are projected to make up nearly 50 percent of the market by 2027. Driving this momentum are hybrid lifestyles, government-led digitization, and India's thriving SMB sector. "Our OMEN range of PCs are also equipped with AI features to enable a better gaming experience. With in-built AI features like HP AI Companion - a chatbot for smarter productivity, and Poly Camera Pro with noise cancellation, auto framing, and clear audio, we're helping users reimagine how they work, create, and collaborate in the new era," said Vineet Gehani – senior director, personal systems, HP India.
What To Expect From OEMs
To expand its reach further, Acer is intensifying efforts across three pillars—awareness, accessibility, and advocacy. Through targeted digital campaigns, influencer engagement, and strategic pricing, Acer aims to drive broader adoption and make AI PCs a mainstream choice across user categories in the coming quarters.
"We plan to scale up retail and experiential campaigns that demystify AI use cases for consumers, particularly in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. We are also working closely with platform partners, ecosystem players like Microsoft and Intel, and our own R&D teams to continuously evolve our product offerings with AI-first innovations," Goel explained.
ASUS has already started making AI-ready devices available in the affordable category. Its Snapdragon-powered Vivobook 16 is among the AI-capable devices in the segment and was launched at an accessible price. "This is just the beginning, we're committed to expanding this portfolio further and ensuring that meaningful AI adoption is not limited to premium users alone. At ASUS, we've always believed in making next-gen technology more accessible for the wider market. We're not just focusing on premium users; our goal is to expand across price points and usage needs. On the product front, we are actively building richer and more intuitive user experiences with features like adaptive dimming and adaptive lock, which use AI to optimize screen usage and extend battery life by up to 40 percent," Su added.
HP, with an AI PC portfolio, designed for enterprises, SMBs, creators, gamers, and everyday consumers, its latest OmniBook and EliteBook AI PCs—powered by high-performance NPUs delivering up to 55 TOPS— claims to bring intelligence and performance together.
"We are also making AI PCs accessible across price points, ensuring that every audience—from students and SMBs to professionals and creators—can be ready for the future of work. With prices starting at INR 70,000, we are delivering innovation within reach for all segments of the Indian market," Gehani added.
The Near Future
According to IDC, by 2028, nearly 98 percent of all PCs are expected to be AI PCs equipped with NPUs that can run AI tasks directly on the device. This shift means faster performance, enhanced security, and improved energy efficiency, transforming productivity and collaboration.
This shift will mirror what we saw with transitions to smartphones. Once the utility becomes evident and accessible, adoption accelerates quickly and this is already happening with AI PCs in India. India has seen a strong initial wave of interest translating into real adoption, especially among creators, working professionals, and students who are constantly multitasking or managing high-volume content workflows.
However, this won't be without its challenges, "These models commanding a 10-15 percent price premium over traditional models is a significant barrier. Its visibility in offline retail channels—especially outside of major metro areas—is still limited, mostly dominated by older inventory with basic AI capabilities. To truly accelerate this market, we need to see more concerted efforts in trade, consumer education and the development of localized AI applications that clearly demonstrate the value of these devices to give instant ROI for the users purchasing an advanced AI PC," said Anshika Jain, senior research analyst, Counterpoint Research.
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