AI is not driving the PC market, says IDC
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The global market for PCs and tablet computers is on-course to grow to a size of 403.5 million units in 2024, an increase of 3.8 percent on 2023, according to International Data Corp.
Although equipment and chip vendors are talking up the AI-PC in the hope of increased sales and increased unit pricing, the PC market is flat (0.8 percent growth in 2024). It is tablet computers with shipments due to climb 9.8 percent that are dragging 2024’s numbers up.
However, 2025 is expected to be a year of recovery for PCs, with growth anticipated at 4.3 percent, driven by commercial upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11. IDC said the lack of clear use cases for AI-PCs is holding back both enterprise and private purchases of PCs.
Worldwide personal computing device shipments forecast and annual growth by segment (shipments in millions). Source: IDC.
“There seems to be a big disconnect between supply and demand as PC and platform makers are gearing up for AI PCs and tablets to be the next big thing, but the lack of clear use cases and a bump in average selling prices has buyers questioning the utility,” said Jitesh Ubrani, a research manager at IDC, in a statement. “It’s now up to Microsoft, Apple, and Google to prove the need for locally processed AI to avoid a backlash from hardware makers and end users.”
Worldwide personal computing device growth forecast by segment 2024 to 2028. Source: IDC.
That said PC and tablet markets do have the tailwind of end-of-support for Windows 10 operating system. This, combined with improvements in the global economy, are helping the commercial segment to be a bright spot within the personal computing device categories with forecast growth of 5.1 percent in 2025.
Windows PC replacement is strong in Japan and the introduction of sub-US$300 tablet computers by Chinese phone vendors is helping sales in China and many parts of Asia, IDC asserts.
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