Customers aren’t asking for AI PCs

Intel says the commercial refresh opportunity is real, but channel partners may need to reframe the conversation if they want to capture it.

Glen Boatwright, Intel ANZ country manager said customers are not yet walking into resellers asking specifically for AI PCs. Instead, most are still looking for a broader device upgrade, with AI increasingly becoming part of that discussion rather than the sole driver.

“I don’t think too many customers are walking in specifically looking for an AI PC,” Boatwright said. “What they are doing is walking in and asking for an upgrade. AI capability is a part of that upgrade.”

Beyond the AI hype

Boatwright described the current market as one of disruption, with AI fuelling not only interest in new devices but also component shortages and price increases. At the same time, many organisations are still trying to work out how AI fits into their business and whether workloads should run on-device, in the cloud or in a hybrid model.

“There’s been a whole heap of buzz around AI,” he said. “Some people roll their eyes at it, but other people are taking it very seriously because they see the advantage for their businesses now and into the future.”

Why refresh now?

For partners, the bigger opportunity may lie in the installed base of ageing COVID-era devices still in use across Australian organisations. Boatwright argued that today’s commercial PCs represent far more than a minor performance uplift, with gains spanning battery life, Wi-Fi, cameras, security and built-in AI features.

“It’s not just going out and buying a new PC because you get a bit of a speed bump,” he said. “Everything’s been upgraded, and on top of that there’s been a whole lot of new AI functionality built right into the laptop.”

Selling business value

Boatwright said partners need to shift the conversation away from price and towards business outcomes, particularly as device costs rise.

“Articulating the value of all these great new features and benefits that come with a new AI PC is absolutely critical to getting beyond the ‘why is this so expensive?’ conversation,” he said.

That means understanding customer workloads and matching device capabilities to real needs, whether that’s background noise reduction, AI-powered privacy features or better battery life for mobile workers.

For Boatwright, the key message to partners is simple: use the technology yourself.

“To understand the tech, you’ve got to use the tech,” he said. “That’s going to make the conversation about price increases way easier.”

These conversations will continue at Ingram Experience 2026, Ingram Micro Australia's flagship technology conference, taking place on Wednesday, 5 August at ICC Sydney. As one of the event's Platinum Sponsors, Intel will join Ingram Micro and Microsoft in demonstrating how AI PCs, Windows 11 Pro and the latest silicon innovations are enabling the future of commercial computing.