Only 33% of businesses see AI as important when buying PCs, says study

Businesses remain hesitant to adopt AI-powered Copilot+ PCs despite widespread awareness, with new research revealing a significant gap between recognition and purchasing intent. A Canalys report found that while 73% of B2B partners are aware of these advanced machines, only 33% consider AI capabilities important when making purchasing decisions, suggesting the enterprise market isn’t ready to embrace the AI PC revolution just yet.

What you should know: The slow adoption stems from practical business concerns rather than lack of awareness about AI PC capabilities.

• Only 9% of the 1.2 million AI-capable PCs shipped by European distributors in Q2 2025 qualified as true Copilot+ PCs, meeting the 40 TOPS processing requirement.
• Businesses are prioritizing Windows 11 refreshes and battery life over Copilot+ exclusive features, particularly with Windows 10’s end of life approaching.
• High pricing, limited use cases, and poor understanding of what Copilot+ PCs can actually do are hampering adoption.

The big picture: AI PCs are gaining market traction overall, but the premium Copilot+ category faces distinct challenges.

• Nearly one in four (23%) PCs sold globally in Q4 2024 was classified as an “AI PC,” though this broad term encompasses devices with basic AI processing capabilities.
• Copilot+ PCs require specialized chips from Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra 200V, or AMD Ryzen AI 300 series to deliver 40+ TOPS for local AI processing.
• Some enterprise customers remain reluctant to adopt Arm-based Snapdragon chips due to software compatibility concerns.

In plain English: TOPS stands for “trillions of operations per second”—essentially a measure of how fast a computer chip can process AI tasks. Think of it like horsepower for AI: the higher the TOPS number, the more complex AI features the computer can handle locally without needing an internet connection.

Why this matters: The lukewarm reception could signal broader challenges for AI hardware adoption in enterprise environments, where practical considerations often outweigh cutting-edge features.

What industry experts are saying: Context Senior Analyst Marie-Christine Pygott attributed the slow uptake to “high pricing, a lack of use cases and low perception of what a Copilot+ PC is and what it can do.”

Looking ahead: Market sentiment may be shifting as AI capabilities become more established.

• A recent Dell survey revealed that around three in five (62%) IT decision-makers would prefer a Copilot+ PC over a regular PC.
• Canalys expects 60% of PCs shipped in 2027 to be AI-capable, with 2025 potentially seeing them capture a 40% market share.