AI has dominated the technology agenda for the past three years, largely framed through the lens of data centres, cloud platforms, and large-scale models. That layer remains critical. But the more immediate shift for most organisations is happening much closer to the user on the device itself.

In 2026, AI is no longer something accessed remotely. It is becoming embedded in the PCs professionals use every day. That transition has arrived in the UAE, and it is being shaped by a rare alignment of timing, technology, and commercial readiness.

AI is evolving and so too are the use cases. As AI accelerates from generative to agentic, enterprises face a new imperative, harnessing autonomous intelligence without surrendering data security, privacy, or sovereignty, and the AI PC built on Intel Core Ultra Series 3 delivers exactly that balance, bringing powerful on-device AI to where the data already resides.

Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 platform, Panther Lake brings the level of on-device AI performance required to make these capabilities practical at scale. Through Redington, this new class of hardware is now entering the regional market.

This is not the starting point for AI PCs in the UAE. Earlier generations of Intel Core Ultra processors introduced on-device AI capabilities and built familiarity across enterprise customers and channel partners. Series 3 represents a significant step forward.

With up to 180 TOPS of AI performance across a unified architecture, Panther Lake enables workloads that previously required cloud infrastructure to run locally on a thin-and-light laptop. Its dedicated NPU handles sustained, low-power AI tasks such as transcription and summarisation, while the GPU supports more intensive workloads, including running language models directly on the device. The result is straightforward: faster execution, lower latency, improved privacy, and reduced dependence on external compute.

In practical terms, this changes how work gets done. Meetings can be transcribed and summarised locally without sending sensitive data to external services. Documents can be drafted and refined in real time within the operating system. Analysis can be completed on device, even in environments with limited connectivity. These are not experimental use cases—they are becoming part of everyday workflows.

“With Core Ultra Series 3, we are not introducing AI PCs to this market for the first time. We are raising the ceiling on what they can deliver,” said Shadi Shidvash, EMEA Distribution Sales Director at Intel. “The NPU 5 architecture combined with the Xe3 GPU and the broader XPU design brings a level of on-device processing performance that makes productivity gains tangible and immediate for users across the region.”

Equally important for enterprise adoption is continuity. Panther Lake maintains full x86 compatibility, allowing organisations to modernise their device fleets without disrupting existing software environments. For IT teams managing complex estates, this balance between forward capability and backward compatibility is as critical as raw performance.

Bringing this technology to market at scale depends on more than silicon. Redington plays a central role as the region’s largest technology ecosystem orchestrator, connecting manufacturers, partners, and end customers across the UAE and wider MEA region. But distribution alone is not what makes this moment viable.

The Device Circularity Programme addresses one of the biggest barriers to large-scale refresh cycles: cost. Organisations can trade in existing devices, receive a guaranteed buyback value, and apply that directly toward new AI-ready systems. At the same time, legacy hardware is securely wiped and responsibly processed, supporting both compliance requirements and ESG commitments.

“Through the Device Circularity Programme, we are ensuring that the AI PC refresh is not limited to the largest organizations,” said Sukhil Nair, President, UAE, Redington. “By combining guaranteed buyback with a structured trade-in model, we are helping businesses move to AI-ready devices without the burden of stranded technology investments. At the same time, we are enabling our partners to create greater customer value while supporting a more sustainable technology lifecycle.”

The UAE is particularly well positioned for this shift. Its national AI strategy is already translating into real investment and deployment across government and enterprise sectors. In such an environment, the endpoint device becomes strategically important. Running AI locally supports data sovereignty, reduces reliance on external infrastructure, and enables faster, more secure decision-making at the edge.

For organisations evaluating their next move, the question is no longer whether AI should be part of the workplace. It is where that AI should run.

With AI PCs now available in-market, and programmes in place to make adoption financially practical, the next step is clear: identify high-impact workflows, pilot on-device AI within teams, and scale where productivity gains are immediate.

The shift to AI-powered computing is no longer on the horizon. It is already on the desk.

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