Dell Surprises Tech World by Softening AI Focus at CES 2026

The company Dell, known as one of the largest PC manufacturers, became the first among leaders to back off from an intense focus on AI, which we’ve observed over the last couple of years. This bold statement was made during their presentation at CES 2026.

No, Dell isn’t planning to abandon AI; however, the company acknowledges that at least for now, it’s not particularly important to users. You’ll notice a distinctive feature: we haven’t placed artificial intelligence as the primary goal in our product development. Thus, there has been a shift compared to a year ago when we were entirely focused on AI-powered PCs.

We are very focused on implementing AI capabilities into devices – in fact, all the devices we are announcing use a neural processor – but over this year, we realized that consumers don’t buy devices because of AI.

“In reality, I think AI rather confuses them more than it helps them to understand a specific outcome,” a company representative mentioned.

Overall, Dell’s presentation barely touched on AI, distinguishing it from many others. Of course, AI isn’t going anywhere and will probably never disappear from our lives, but for the average user, there aren’t many truly useful daily functions in computers yet.

Contrasting Announcements at CES 2026

While Dell has adjusted its approach, other companies showcased innovations heavily focused on AI. Many competitors emphasized seamless integration of AI in enhancing user experience, including advanced machine learning to personalize user interactions.

One notable announcement came from a leading software firm, highlighting a revolutionary AI tool intended to streamline workflows by predicting user needs, demonstrating AI’s potential to transform professional environments significantly.