Enterprises risk substantial future costs and complexity by delaying the adoption of AI-ready personal computers, according to Jacinta Quah, Vice President for Client Solutions Group & Modern Workplace, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China (APJC) at Dell Technologies.
Speaking at the Dell Technologies Forum 2026, Quah emphasized that the misconception of not needing an AI PC today is the most expensive mistake businesses are making. She highlighted the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence from simple task execution to autonomous AI agents capable of managing complex workflows, necessitating a proactive approach to hardware refreshes.
Future-Proofing Your PC Fleet
Quah urged organizations to plan their PC fleet upgrades with a three-to-four-year outlook. This foresight ensures devices possess adequate processing power, memory, and specialized AI capabilities to support emerging AI applications and workflows. Failing to do so could lead to premature obsolescence and the need for another costly refresh within a short period.
A significant shift identified by Quah is the migration of AI processing from the cloud to on-premise solutions and increasingly to the device itself. This trend is driven by two primary factors: enhanced data control and predictable cost management. As AI becomes more autonomous, on-device processing becomes crucial for handling sensitive intelligence and managing the skyrocketing token usage associated with multi-step, looping AI agent tasks.
Hybrid AI and Governance Challenges
Most businesses are embracing a hybrid AI strategy, integrating intelligent PCs for the workforce, specialized workstations for advanced local development, and cloud solutions. However, this distributed AI environment also amplifies the need for robust governance frameworks to address security and privacy concerns as AI agents operate more autonomously.
India is demonstrating strong leadership in AI PC adoption, according to an IDC InfoBrief commissioned by Dell and Intel. The study reveals that 51% of PC users surveyed in India have adopted AI PCs, indicating a rapid transition from experimentation to full-scale deployment. This pace is attributed to a tech-savvy workforce, a strong focus on operational efficiency, a thriving independent software vendor (ISV) ecosystem, and an increasing emphasis on security and control within the country.
“If organizations are not looking ahead at what their workforce will be running in one to two years, they may be in a situation where they have refreshed with a PC without AI capability. And in less than two years, they need to refresh. That will cause more complexity and costs.”
— Jacinta Quah, Dell Technologies
Quah concluded by advising enterprises to view PCs not merely as devices but as essential tools for business innovation, making refresh decisions based on anticipated employee needs over the coming years.