Dell admits consumers don't care about AI PCs

""We're very focused on delivering upon the AI capabilities of a device-in fact everything that we're announcing has an NPU in it - but what we've learned over the course of this year, especially from a consumer perspective, is they're not buying based on AI," admits Kevin Terwilliger, Dell's head of product, in the PC Gamer interview. "In fact I think AI probably confuses them more than it helps them understand a specific outcome.""

"It's a surprisingly honest admission from one of Microsoft's biggest PC partners, especially as the software giant continues to push AI features into Windows and try and convince consumers to buy Copilot Plus PCs. Dell was one of Microsoft's partners for the initial Copilot Plus PC launch in 2024, adding Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips to its popular XPS 13 and Inspiron line of laptops. Dell even added Qualcomm's Cloud AI chips to its high-end laptops last year, boosting AI performance for local models."

Dell is prioritizing AI capabilities in devices, with every announced product including an NPU, but consumers are not purchasing PCs based on AI features and may find AI confusing rather than clarifying outcomes. Microsoft continues to integrate AI into Windows and promote Copilot Plus PCs, while Dell partnered on the initial Copilot Plus PC launch in 2024 and integrated Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips into XPS 13 and Inspiron laptops. Dell also added Qualcomm Cloud AI chips to high-end laptops to boost local model performance. Many Copilot Plus benefits derive from improved battery life and performance of Snapdragon X Elite chips. Microsoft's Recall flagship AI feature faced delays due to security concerns before eventual launch.

Read at The Verge