January 9, 2026, 9:34 PM EST. Dell executives at CES 2026 said AI features haven't sparked expected demand, with Vice Chairman Jeff Clarke calling the AI promise unmet and head of product Kevin Terwilliger saying the messaging is not AI-first. Consumers aren't buying AI PC branding; they want clear outcomes. The remarks echo CEO Satya Nadella's push to make Copilot a central product, but The Information reports he has become Microsoft's most influential product manager and remains dissatisfied with Copilot's consumer progress versus rivals such as Google Gemini and Claude from Anthropic. The market mood suggests PCs still rely on traditional specs, not AI hype, as Microsoft tries to persuade users to replace Windows 10 laptops with Copilot-enabled machines. Dell's CES decision signals a cautious shift away from AI-first messaging.
