Dell says consumers aren't buying AI PCs as Microsoft pushes Copilot

Microsoft has been promoting new Copilot PCs as replacements for older Windows 10 laptops, but Dell executives told a press briefing ahead of CES 2026 that consumers are not buying into the AI pitch.

At the briefing, Vice Chairman and COO Jeff Clarke referred to the "unmet promise of AI" and said the company had "an expectation of AI driving end-user demand" that "hasn't quite been what we thought it was going to be a year ago." Dell's head of product, Kevin Terwilliger, said the company's messaging for its 2026 lineup is not "AI first," adding that "they're not buying based on AI" and that AI "probably confuses them more than it helps them understand a specific outcome." The coverage also notes competing models such as Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, which have attracted praise and do not require new "AI PC" hardware.

A report from The Information said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has become the company's "most influential product manager" and has sent notes to product groups with feedback on the consumer Copilot app, according to a third person who saw the emails. ZDNET's piece adds that while every leading OEM's new PCs this year will include AI-capable chips (for example Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra Series 3, or AMD Ryzen AI), Microsoft's many Copilots "aren't ready for that role today," and PC makers will have to sell their new hardware "the old-fashioned way."

Key Topics

Tech, Dell, Microsoft, Copilot, Ai Pc, Satya Nadella