Next year is expected to see growing adoption of a new generation of computers – artificial intelligence (AI)-powered PCs – as more enterprises run AI workloads to improve productivity and security across their operations.
This is according to John Roese, global CTO of Dell Technologies, speaking yesterday during the Dell Technologies 2025 Predictions webinar.
Roese forecasts the technological equivalent of the “big bang” next year, with AI to be at the epicentre of how people live, work and play.
Just as the universe expanded rapidly after its inception, technology is exploding into new realms, redefining industries and reshaping the future, he noted. Generative AI (GenAI) tools are evolving to enable AI agents, which are poised to revolutionise how people engage with AI systems.
Next year, new and more advanced AI agents will emerge. These will operate autonomously, communicate in natural language and interact with the world around them, including working in teams of other agents and humans, he explained.
According to Roese, to realise AI’s full potential and the rise of agentic AI architecture, enterprises must upgrade their infrastructure to AI PCs.
“The PC is being reinvented and refined in the AI era, because what we’ve realised is that as we distribute AI, we need to use the capacity that is available for both security and privacy, and also support efficiency and productivity.
“If we use AI PCs aggressively, we can shift up to 80% of the AI processing power of a data centre into a more sustainable footprint. The real impact of an AI PC is that you can do things like video processing, image generation, studio effects and much more – and still have a long battery life,” Roese stated.
According to Dell, AI PCs have built-in neural processing unit hardware specifically designed to handle AI workloads. When combined with a CPU or a GPU (discrete graphics card), these PCs offer unparalleled AI compute capabilities to meet the surge in AI adoption, which now necessitates a new approach to PC architecture.
“Most PCs today are not AI PCs. The definition of an AI PC today is one that includes a neural processing unit, which is another type of accelerator. The early adoption phase of AI PCs has started and these have actually been shipping already, and the chipsets are maturing rapidly,” said Roese.
“If you are going to be using the full features of Microsoft Copilot Plus, for instance, you need to be running it on an AI PC. So, it's still very early days and we are beyond the theory phase. The first wave of these devices has been rolled out and we are seeing more and more enterprises adopting them.”
Additional 2024 trends, as stated by Dell
AI and the fusion of emerging technologies:
“AI's true potential lies in its connections with other emerging technologies. While AI itself is transformative, its impact multiplies when combined with quantum computing, intelligent edge, zero trust security, 6G technologies and digital twins, to name a few. This fusion creates a dynamic environment ripe for innovation and addressing existing challenges.
“For instance, quantum computing in collaboration with AI will significantly impact most industries by providing the computing capability needed to scale AI to domains where classical computing struggles – like complex material science, drug discovery and complex optimisation problems.
“AI and telecoms are already coming together to transform how cellular networks operate and how fundamental elements of these systems, like spectrum optimisation, work.”
AI becomes an essential skill:
“AI will become an indispensable tool across professions and industries. Much like past technological advancements, AI is poised to transform the job market.
“Routine, task-oriented roles may diminish, but new opportunities will arise, such as software composers, AI content editors and prompt engineers.
“With AI, the focus is not just about the work that goes away; it’s about the new roles humans play in shaping, directing and leading AI work. AI-enabled businesses can use the evolution of the human-machine relationship to accomplish tasks in different ways and expand the art of the possible.”
AI is tech’s grand evolution:
“Just as the ‘big bang’ set the stage for the development of galaxies, stars and planets, the rapid growth of AI is creating new opportunities, industries and ways of living and working.
“As we approach 2025, we predict enterprise AI adoption will accelerate dramatically in the coming year. We’re seeing better processes, better tools and a stronger ecosystem. For CIOs, staying informed and adaptable will be essential. Organisations must prioritise AI fluency, invest in talent development and explore innovative solutions to remain at the forefront of this tech revolution,” says Dell.
“The future belongs to those who can harness the power of AI. Whether they’re a business executive, tech enthusiast, or innovator, the time to act is now. The impact will be profound.”
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