News

Naming does not make a product category

It has to do something first.

Jon Peddie

You probably have read about how many AI PCs are going to claim, or already have, a major share of the PC market. Of course, you have; how could you have avoided it?

Consider this: If one takes a regular old PC with a midrange-class CPU, no dGPU, and, oh, maybe 16GB of RAM and labels it as a workstation, some box-counting firms will include that in the total workstation market, even though it is nothing like a workstation and couldn’t do anything workstation-like except maybe run 2D CAD.

Apple Macbook
(Source: J. Peddie)

If it is labeled, it is so.

Now take any PC that has a current-generation CPU that contains an NPU and label it an AI PC. Zowie! Overnight, we have a huge market. Never mind that the only AI thing it might be capable of running is Adobe filters or the unasked-for Copilot; suddenly, with the stroke of a pen, it is a new and powerful thing. And not only that—it’s selling like hotcakes. Double zowie!!

Are we so desperate for a sliver of hope, a modicum of good news, that we will accept the emperor’s new clothes? That we will wink at each other and espouse the story of this amazing new market that has emerged in front of us? Come on, haven’t we seen this movie before? Don’t we know how it ends?

La la la, hands over the ears, I can’t hear you. AI is here, have no fear, it’s going to make our PCs dear.

Girl and AI PC
(Source: J. Peddie)

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