Key Takeaways
1. Apple leads the market with over 54% of all AI-capable PCs shipped in 2024.
2. The rise of AI in households is linked to the increasing availability of AI-supporting personal devices.
3. Apple’s success is attributed to its new M4 processor and the integration of Apple Intelligence in recent laptops.
4. Windows laptops are struggling to compete, particularly with Microsoft’s Copilot PCs underperforming in sales.
5. The AI PC market is growing, with an 18% increase from 2023 to 2024, indicating a promising future for AI technology in everyday devices.
With the rise of AI, this technology is slowly making its way into everyday households. A significant part of this increase is linked to the growing number of personal devices that support AI, like smartphones and computers. Apple seems to be at the forefront of this trend, and by a large margin.
Apple Dominates the Market
A recent study from Canalys, a market research firm, reveals that Apple accounted for over half of all “AI-capable PCs.” These PCs are defined as those with hardware specifically designed for AI tasks, including a neural processing unit (NPU). In 2024, 17% of shipped PCs fit this category, with Apple responsible for 54% of those shipments.
The tech giant from Cupertino stands out as the clear leader in this sector. Lenovo and HP hold the second and third positions, each contributing 12% of all AI-capable PCs in 2024.
Key Factors in Apple’s Success
The primary reason behind Apple’s impressive performance is likely its recently introduced M4 processor and the incorporation of Apple Intelligence into most of its latest laptops (for instance, the M4 Mac Mini, priced at $549 on Amazon). Apple has technically enabled AI capabilities with on-chip neural processors since the A11 Bionic SoC, which was used in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X back in 2017. Every processor from Apple since then has included some form of neural engine, but the company’s recent AI initiatives have brought this technology to the forefront for everyday consumers.
Challenges for Windows Laptops
Windows laptops, however, have not kept pace in this arena. Microsoft’s Copilot PCs have not sold as well as anticipated, mainly due to issues surrounding Copilot (including its Recall feature, which would automatically take snapshots of a PC’s state for easy access).
Overall, the market for AI PCs is consistently expanding. This category experienced an 18% growth from 2023 to 2024. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our personal devices and the necessary hardware becomes more affordable, we can expect ongoing growth in the AI PC sector.
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