Windows pushed AI PCs, but now it's hit a wall of RAM prices
Customers are sweating assets amid tight budgets, yet that doesn't stop an exec from Redmond getting creative with the sales pitch
Microsoft is struggling to push AI-powered PCs due to rising RAM prices caused by the expansion of AI datacenters. At the Canalys Forum in Barcelona, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Windows and Device Sales, Mark Linton, highlighted the financial challenges of adopting AI technology, emphasizing the need to select the appropriate model for specific tasks and run smaller models locally on Windows PCs.
Linton believes that using edge devices with ample memory can provide better performance, lower latency, and enhanced data control while reducing cloud costs. Microsoft is also pushing for AI PCs as a platform for all models and agents, rather than solely relying on its first-party software. However, the Windows OEM and Devices division experienced a 22% revenue decline in Q1 of fiscal 2027, indicating that the AI PC market faces significant headwinds, including a 20% drop in PC shipments during Q3 of the same year.
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