Lenovo’s IFA 2025 AI Blitz Unleashes Smart PCs, Tablets & Phones

Lenovo’s Multi-Category AI Launch: At IFA 2025 in Berlin, Lenovo unveiled a sweeping portfolio of AI-powered devices across its business, consumer, and mobile lineups ^[1] ts2.tech. The new releases – from ThinkPad workstations and concept PCs to Legion gaming gear, Yoga tablets, and Motorola smartphones – embody Lenovo’s “Smarter AI for All” vision of integrating generative AI and hybrid intelligence into everyday tech ^[2] ts2.tech.
AI for Business – Smarter PCs & Concepts: Lenovo introduced bold concept PCs for professionals, including the ThinkBook VertiFlex (a laptop with a rotatable 14-inch screen and AI-adaptive UI for seamless horizontal/vertical use) and the Lenovo Smart Motion stand (an AI-powered laptop dock with motorized rotation, gesture control, voice commands, and face-tracking for ergonomic use) ^[3] ts2.tech. Lenovo also rolled out AI-ready ThinkPad workstations – led by the redesigned ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 featuring up to 24-core Intel Core Ultra CPUs with built-in NPUs for on-device AI processing ts2.tech – alongside updated P1 Gen 8, P16v Gen 3, P16s Gen 4, and P14s Gen 6 models ts2.tech. A new ThinkPad X9 “Aura” Edition adds a Glacier White option to one of Lenovo’s first Copilot+ AI-enhanced laptops ^[4] ts2.tech. Lenovo also launched a 39.7-inch ThinkVision P40wD-40 ultrawide 5K monitor and a Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500, building a high-speed, multi-display AI workspace for power users ^[5] ts2.tech.
AI for Consumers – Gaming & Creativity: For gamers, Lenovo debuted the Legion Go 2 – an 8.8-inch handheld Windows 11 gaming PC (Gen 2 model) with detachable TrueStrike controllers, a 144 Hz OLED display, and an upgraded battery for longer play ^[6] ts2.tech. The Legion lineup also gains a new Legion Pro 7 16″ gaming laptop (with AMD Ryzen 9000 HX series) and a LOQ Tower 26ADR10 desktop, plus three Legion Pro OLED monitors (32″ and 27″ models) that combine ultra-fast refresh rates with vibrant PureSight color quality ^[7] ts2.tech. A free update is coming to Legion Glasses AR eyewear to enable 3D gameplay in 20+ titles ^[8]. Beyond gaming, Lenovo introduced FlickLift, an AI-driven image editing tool for Yoga and IdeaPad PCs that can instantly sharpen images or remove backgrounds with a quick cursor “flick,” streamlining content creation across apps ^[9] ts2.tech.
AI-Powered Tablets – Yoga Tab & Idea Tab: Lenovo’s new Yoga Tab (11.1″ display) is a creative powerhouse tablet with a 3.2K PureSight Pro screen (144 Hz, 800 nits) and on-device hybrid AI features ts2.tech. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a 20 TOPS AI engine, the Yoga Tab adapts to user input and can act as an intelligent assistant – generating text, refining ideas, translating info via voice (through “Smart AI Input”), and even providing real-time transcription and summaries with AI Live Transcript ts2.tech. Paired with the pressure-sensitive Lenovo Tab Pen Pro, it can use AI to turn sketches into images and perform Smart Capture of drawn elements ts2.tech. The Idea Tab Plus (12.1″) is an ultra-light tablet geared for students and everyday users, featuring AI tools like Lenovo AI Notes (to tidy and summarize handwritten notes) and Circle to Search for instant context lookup on any highlighted content ts2.tech. Notably, both tablets integrate Google Gemini – Google’s next-gen generative AI – for cloud-assisted intelligence, enabling advanced voice/image search and chatbot-style assistance directly on-device ts2.tech. The Yoga Tab and Idea Tab Plus hit the market in September 2025 starting at €499 and €299, respectively ts2.tech.
AI for Everyone – Smarter Smartphones: Lenovo’s Motorola division launched new smartphones emphasizing personalized AI experiences. The flagship motorola edge 60 neo is a compact 6.4″ Android phone (a mere 170 g) packing Motorola’s moto AI suite ts2.tech. Its premium triple-camera system includes a 50 MP main lens with a Sony LYTIA sensor and a 10 MP 3× telephoto lens (rare in its class), plus an AI-driven imaging engine that merges exposures and enhances detail for pro-level photos ts2.tech. Moto AI features like a Photo Enhancement Engine and “Signature Style” filters use AI (inspired by pro photographers) to automatically polish images ts2.tech. Uniquely, the edge 60 neo’s on-device generative AI can even create custom images, avatars, or wallpapers via a feature called Image Studio, and its Next Move function intelligently suggests actions based on on-screen content (for example, recognizing a list of songs and one-tap building a playlist) ts2.tech ts2.tech. Backed by a 5,000 mAh battery (rated ~44 hours) with 68 W fast charging and wireless charging, the edge 60 neo is built to handle AI tasks all day ts2.tech. Meanwhile, the affordable moto g06 and moto g06 power bring large 6.88″ displays and AI-powered 50 MP cameras to the budget tier ts2.tech. The moto g06 power model packs a massive 7,000 mAh battery for up to 2.5 days of use ^[10] ts2.tech. Notably, these Moto G models are among the first entry-level phones to offer Motorola/Google’s Circle to Search (letting users draw a circle around any image or text to instantly search it) and even on-device Google Gemini AI assistant integration – enabling voice or text chat with a local generative AI to brainstorm ideas, draft messages, and more right on the phone ts2.tech. (Motorola says availability of these phones will vary by region, with pricing TBA.)

Lenovo’s “Smarter AI for All” Strategy and Differentiators

Lenovo’s 2025 portfolio showcases a deliberate strategy to infuse AI across its product range – from pocket to cloud. The company is positioning AI not as future fluff but as a here-and-now enhancement to personalization, productivity, creativity, and security. “This isn’t about future potential, it’s about delivering real, everyday AI experiences now… All this is grounded in our belief that smarter technology, including smarter AI, should be accessible, useful, and empowering for all,” said Luca Rossi, President of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group ^[11]. To achieve that, Lenovo is leveraging both cloud-based and on-device AI (a hybrid AI approach) and working closely with partners like Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA and Google to optimize AI at every level of the stack ^[12] ts2.tech.

A key differentiator for Lenovo is its emphasis on on-device AI and privacy. Many of Lenovo’s new PCs feature built-in NPUs (neural processing units) – for example, the latest Intel Core Ultra processors in ThinkPads – enabling AI tasks to run locally in real time. These chips deliver tens of trillions of operations per second (TOPS) for AI, sufficient for tasks like natural language processing and image generation without relying on the cloud ts2.tech. Lenovo’s definition of an “AI PC” is telling: it’s a device with heterogeneous computing (CPU, GPU, and NPU) that supports an open ecosystem of AI apps in a private, secure manner, including a personal AI assistant that runs on a local large language model and personal data ^[13] ^[14]. This reflects Lenovo’s focus on user data security and personalization – a stance likely aimed at enterprise clients wary of cloud AI privacy issues.

One manifestation of this on-device strategy is Lenovo AI Now, an advanced AI assistant software the company introduced for its premium PCs (like the ThinkPad X9 “Aura” editions). Lenovo AI Now is built on a local large language model (based on Meta’s Llama 3.0) that runs entirely on the PC, keeping user data local ^[15]. This personal AI can automate tasks like organizing documents, searching one’s files, summarizing text, and answering questions by interacting with the user’s own knowledge base – all without sending data to cloud servers ^[16]. By storing and processing data on-device, Lenovo aims to offer the convenience of generative AI while safeguarding privacy. Notably, Lenovo is continuously improving AI Now – upcoming features include cross-device knowledge retrieval (searching across your PC and tablet simultaneously), smarter document search/summarization (even from images or PDFs), and multilingual support (expanding beyond English) ^[17] ^[18]. This kind of tight integration between hardware (NPU acceleration) and software (local AI models) is a cornerstone of Lenovo’s differentiation. It mirrors the approach of smartphones (which have had on-chip AI for years) but brings it to PCs in a more robust way.

Lenovo also touts its Copilot+ PCs – a term it uses for next-gen Windows 11 laptops designed for Microsoft’s Windows Copilot AI features plus additional Lenovo-exclusive AI enhancements ^[19] ^[20]. Think of Copilot+ PCs as laptops “AI-optimized” at both the silicon and software levels. For instance, the ThinkPad X9 series are marketed as Copilot+ PCs with Intel Core Ultra chips and NPUs, ready to take full advantage of Windows 11’s built-in AI assistant (Copilot) and Lenovo’s AI Now capabilities ^[21] ^[22]. Lenovo’s close collaboration with Intel on the Aura Edition ThinkPads is a case in point – these machines (X9 “Aura”) have exclusive AI-driven features called Smart Modes (for security, wellness, collaboration, power management, etc.) that no other OEM’s Intel laptops have ^[23] ^[24]. It’s essentially a co-engineered differentiator: because Lenovo is the launch partner on Intel’s latest AI-enabled platform (code-named Lunar Lake), it can offer unique firmware-level AI tricks (like Attention Mode to block distractions, posture alerts for ergonomics, or video call AI enhancements) that set its devices apart ^[25] ^[26]. Analysts note that this kind of partnership – “Aura Edition” being a result of multi-year co-development with Intel – may hint at future differentiation among PC vendors, where each tries to add exclusive AI features tied to their hardware alliances ^[27].

Beyond devices themselves, Lenovo is integrating AI into services and solutions as well. The company’s Solution & Services Group has initiatives like AI PC Fast Start (to help businesses deploy custom AI assistants on their devices) ^[28], Care of One and AI PC Premier Support (for proactive support and management of AI-PC fleets) ^[29]. It’s also building an ecosystem for AI development: e.g. Lenovo AI Developer – a suite bundling open-source AI libraries and tools optimized for Lenovo workstations ^[30] – and leveraging its AI research lab (Lenovo Research’s “Lenovo Brain”) to span AI from devices to cloud ^[31]. All of this indicates that Lenovo sees AI as a holistic value-add: not just a spec on a data sheet, but something that requires software tuning, developer engagement, and customer support to fully realize. Its in-house manufacturing and breadth of portfolio (from phones to servers) also give it an edge to implement this vertical integration of AI – a point noted by analysts, who cite Lenovo’s “comprehensive product range, in-house production, AI ops capabilities, partnerships, and software consulting” as a major strength in the AI era ^[32] ^[33].

Battle of the AI Devices: Lenovo vs. Apple, Dell, HP, Samsung, Huawei

Lenovo’s aggressive AI push comes as the entire tech industry pivots toward AI-driven hardware. How does Lenovo’s strategy and new product lineup compare to what other major players are doing?

Apple: Apple has long built custom AI silicon – every A-series iPhone chip and M-series Mac chip includes a Neural Engine for machine learning tasks. Features like iPhone photography enhancements, Siri dictation, Face ID, on-device text recognition, etc., all leverage AI under the hood. However, Apple traditionally doesn’t market its products as “AI devices.” That is starting to change: the latest Macs (with the M3 chip generation) doubled the Neural Engine cores and even introduced something branded as “Apple Intelligence” in marketing, emphasizing on-device, privacy-preserving AI capabilities ts2.tech ts2.tech. Still, Apple’s public approach to AI is conservative – for example, recent macOS and iOS versions quietly added features like live voicemail transcription and magical image cut-out tools, but Apple has not (as of late 2025) released anything like a laptop with a generative AI copilot, nor an iPhone that runs a ChatGPT-level model fully on-device ts2.tech ts2.tech. Reports suggest Apple is working on its own large language model (“Apple GPT”) and future M4 chips focused on AI performance to catch up on generative AI by 2024–2025 ts2.tech. In terms of hardware design, Apple hasn’t shown experimental AI-focused form factors – its MacBooks and iPads remain traditional, relying on software updates to introduce new AI-powered features. Apple’s closest counterpart to Lenovo’s AI PCs is perhaps the upcoming Vision Pro headset (which uses AI for hand/eye tracking and environment understanding) and features like FaceTime “Persona” avatars (which use on-device AI to create a lifelike virtual you for video calls) ts2.tech. But tellingly, Apple frames these as general user experience innovations, not as “AI features” per se – Apple rarely uses the AI buzzword in product launches. One advantage Apple does have is its ecosystem: once Apple perfects an AI capability (say, a new on-device personal assistant or creative tool), it can instantly roll it out to tens of millions of users via iOS or macOS updates ts2.tech. Lenovo, by contrast, relies on partnering with platform providers (like Microsoft for Windows Copilot, or Google for Android’s AI) to ensure its customers get similar capabilities ts2.tech. In summary, Apple’s devices are absolutely AI-powered under the hood – in fact 100% of new Macs have NPUs since 2020 ts2.tech – but Lenovo is ahead in making AI a selling point across diverse form factors. For example, Apple doesn’t yet offer a “smart” monitor or an AI-centric tablet that creates content on-device – areas where Lenovo just made first moves ts2.tech. The competition may heat up if/when Apple introduces something like a true AI assistant on Mac or more AI creation tools in iWork, which could narrow the experiential gap ts2.tech.

HP: As one of Lenovo’s chief rivals in PCs, HP Inc. has been very vocal that AI is the future of the PC. HP’s CEO Enrique Lores noted that while PC upgrade cycles slowed after the pandemic, the rise of AI PCs could drive the next big upgrade wave as businesses seek smarter devices ts2.tech. HP has indeed been fast to market with NPU-equipped laptops. For instance, the HP Spectre x360 14 (late 2023) was one of the first to feature Intel’s Core processors with AI accelerators, and HP used that hardware to enable AI-based noise reduction on calls, presence detection (the laptop can automatically lock when you walk away), and even digital wellness features (alerts if you’re hunched too close to the screen) ts2.tech. In 2024, HP showed off the Spectre Fold, a foldable-screen 17″ laptop, highlighting AI-enabled touch and pen features for better usability ts2.tech. In many ways, HP’s PC strategy tracks similarly to Lenovo’s: rapidly roll out AI PCs across the lineup (HP claims it now has the “world’s largest portfolio of AI PCs” after its 2025 launches ^[34]), integrate Windows Copilot and even dedicated AI hotkeys in upcoming models (e.g. new Dragonfly and EliteBook business laptops will have an AI function key, similar to Lenovo’s and Dell’s approaches) ts2.tech. HP also emphasizes security and manageability – its Wolf Security platform uses AI anomaly detection to enhance cybersecurity on business PCs, akin to Lenovo’s ThinkShield AI security features ts2.tech. Where HP diverges is in its product range: HP doesn’t make smartphones or gaming handhelds, nor does it have a tablet line as extensive as Lenovo’s. This means Lenovo’s ability to offer AI experiences in those categories (via Motorola phones and Legion devices) gives Lenovo a broader canvas to paint its “AI for All” vision ts2.tech. Market-wise, HP is neck-and-neck with Lenovo: as of Q2 2025, HP held ~20.7% of global PC market share (second to Lenovo’s ~24.8%) ts2.tech. Both companies are racing to infuse AI into as many products as possible, but Lenovo’s more diverse portfolio and some early concept innovations might give it a slight edge in showcasing what’s possible.

Dell: Dell Technologies, traditionally a powerhouse in commercial PCs and workstations, has also fully embraced the AI-PC era – especially for high-end professional users. In early 2025, Dell actually overhauled its entire PC portfolio branding to highlight AI: it introduced simplified tiers (Dell, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max) and launched new models with NPUs across the board ^[35] ^[36]. For example, Dell’s latest Precision mobile workstations (which fall under the Pro Max category) directly compete with Lenovo’s ThinkPad P-series: the Precision 16 and 18 announced in 2025 feature the same Intel Core Ultra HX 24-core processors and NVIDIA RTX 5000 “Blackwell” GPUs that Lenovo’s P16 Gen 3 uses ts2.tech ts2.tech. In fact, Dell was slightly ahead in some respects – it released an 18-inch behemoth workstation with up to 128 GB RAM and the RTX 5000 GPU in mid-2025, whereas Lenovo’s 16-inch P16 Gen3 came a bit later in September ts2.tech ts2.tech. Dell’s angle is pairing hardware with software solutions: the company talks about an “AI Factory” concept, essentially bundling PCs with a comprehensive toolkit for AI development and IT management ts2.tech. For instance, Dell offers a Pro AI Studio for developers and has partnerships to integrate software like the NVIDIA AI Enterprise suite on its machines ^[37] ts2.tech. Dell also stresses edge computing in its messaging – one Dell partner was quoted saying if you can “move AI compute to the edge [the user’s device], you save a ton of money versus cloud,” underscoring Dell’s pitch that investing in AI PCs can cut cloud costs for enterprises ts2.tech. Feature-wise, Dell is using AI to enhance user experience much like others: its latest Latitude business laptops use Dell Optimizer AI features (presence detection, auto background blur, bandwidth prioritization), and its Alienware gaming rigs use AI algorithms for performance tuning and cooling optimization ts2.tech. Dell has shown experimental concepts too, like Concept Luna (a sustainable modular laptop that could leverage AI for power management) – so it’s not far behind in innovation. However, Dell’s product family is comparatively narrower: it doesn’t make smartphones or tablets globally. In the PC arena, Dell is typically the #3 vendor (~17% market share) and it plays to its strength in enterprise contracts – meaning Dell can leverage its deep corporate relationships to sell fleets of “AI-ready” Latitudes and Precisions to large organizations ts2.tech. Both Dell and Lenovo are, of course, top-tier Microsoft partners and will offer similar baseline experiences with Windows 11 Copilot integration on new models ts2.tech ts2.tech. But Lenovo currently outpaces Dell in adjacent AI gadgets – for example, Lenovo’s new Magic Bay HUD (a smart glasses attachment for ThinkBooks) and Smart Motion dock have no direct Dell equivalents yet ts2.tech ts2.tech. Dell’s extensive peripherals lineup (monitors, docks, etc.) could certainly evolve to include AI features (imagine a Dell monitor with an embedded NPU for upscaling or a webcam with on-board AI). In essence, Lenovo and Dell are in an AI arms race for the enterprise client. Lenovo hopes that infusing AI broadly (and visibly) across devices will keep its lead, while Dell’s focus on end-to-end solutions and simpler branding might appeal to IT buyers looking for consistency and support beyond just the device specs ts2.tech.

Samsung: Samsung straddles multiple categories (like Lenovo), as it manufactures both PCs and smartphones, making it a relevant competitor on two fronts. In mobile, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy phones have leveraged AI heavily for years, primarily to enhance photography and user experience. Features like Scene Optimizer (auto-detecting scenes for camera settings), Night Mode and Single Take on Galaxy phones are all AI-driven. Samsung was actually an early mover in voice AI with Bixby assistant, though Bixby struggled to compete with Google Assistant and Siri, and in recent models Samsung has de-emphasized Bixby in favor of Google’s AI ecosystem on its Android phones ts2.tech ts2.tech. These days, Samsung’s phones prominently feature Google’s AI (Assistant, Lens, etc.), similar to Motorola’s approach of leaning on Android’s built-in AI features ts2.tech. However, Samsung is not standing still on AI: it has announced work on its own “Galaxy AI” initiatives and has made strategic investments in AI chip startups. By IFA 2025, Samsung’s latest phones (e.g. the Galaxy S25 series) use Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets with beefy NPUs and support features like on-device AI image remastering (upscaling and enhancing photos) and OCR translation offline, showing that they too are moving some AI tasks on-device ts2.tech ts2.tech. What Samsung hasn’t done yet is launch a phone with a fully local generative AI model or assistant akin to Moto’s Image Studio or Google Gemini integration – they still rely on cloud for heavy AI (though rumor has it a future One UI software update might add an AI writing assistant or other generative features) ts2.tech. Interestingly, at IFA 2025 Samsung’s own product announcements didn’t heavily emphasize new AI capabilities; they showcased devices like an updated Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and a Galaxy S25 FE phone with focus on hardware and ecosystem connectivity, but “not much on new AI tricks” ts2.tech. This opens an opportunity for Lenovo’s AI-rich Yoga/IdeaPads to carve a niche that Samsung’s Android tablets (traditionally used more for media consumption) haven’t deeply explored – i.e. tablets as AI creativity and productivity tools ts2.tech.

On the PC side, Samsung is a smaller player globally (often <5% market share), but its Galaxy Book laptops have begun incorporating AI features thanks to Intel and Microsoft’s platforms. For example, the Galaxy Book3 Ultra in 2023 used an Intel Movidius VPU (vision processing unit) to enable some camera AI effects, and Samsung advertised “AI Noise Canceling” for calls, and face-tracking in its webcam – similar to features on Lenovo and Dell machines ts2.tech. At IFA 2025, Samsung wasn’t very PC-focused (its spotlight was more on appliances and phones), but it did hint that future Galaxy Books will use AI to optimize displays and battery life (likely meaning adaptive refresh rates, resolution, and power management using AI) ts2.tech. Samsung also has an extensive IoT ecosystem (SmartThings), and one could envision future scenarios where Samsung laptops, phones, TVs and appliances coordinate via AI to adapt to a user’s routine (for instance, your phone and PC syncing status so as not to disturb you, etc.) ts2.tech. Comparatively, Lenovo’s advantage is vertical integration: it can create features like the VertiFlex concept’s phone-PC tethering using Lenovo’s own Moto phone hardware ts2.tech ts2.tech. Samsung, which also controls both Android phones and Windows PCs in-house, has started offering continuity features between its devices (e.g. using a Galaxy tablet as a Second Screen for a laptop, or “Link to Windows” integration), but we haven’t yet seen an AI-centric linkage in Samsung’s ecosystem (e.g. using phone sensors/AI to inform PC behavior) ts2.tech. In sum, Samsung’s competitive strength lies in its cutting-edge hardware (it leads in displays, semiconductor tech, etc.) and its sheer volume in mobile – when Samsung rolls out an AI feature in Galaxy devices, it can scale to millions quickly. Lenovo’s strength, on the other hand, is an AI-focused narrative across all device types – essentially Lenovo is saying “we will add AI to everything” (PC, tablet, phone, even accessories) and make it a selling point ts2.tech. Samsung certainly is adding AI under the hood too, but tends to emphasize other aspects in marketing (camera quality, design, ecosystem convenience). One notable area to watch: Samsung is reportedly developing new Exynos chips with powerful NPUs for future Galaxy devices, and exploring AI in health and fitness (like using AI for predictive coaching on Galaxy Watches) ts2.tech. If those efforts bear fruit, Samsung could quickly match or surpass specific AI features that Lenovo/Motorola offer. But for now, Lenovo’s broad launch – especially AI PCs and AI tablets – has put it visibly ahead in the “AI everywhere” race in terms of breadth of offerings and marketing message ts2.tech.

Huawei: Huawei, while constrained by U.S. sanctions in recent years, has been a pioneer in on-device AI integration, particularly in smartphones. As early as 2017–2018, Huawei’s in-house Kirin processors (e.g. Kirin 970, 980) included dedicated NPUs and the company touted AI capabilities like real-time image recognition and AI camera modes ^[38] ^[39]. In 2019 Huawei’s Kirin 990 chip had a dual-core NPU (built on its own “Da Vinci” AI architecture) and by 2020 the Kirin 9000 packed even more powerful AI cores ^[40]. This gave Huawei a leadership role in mobile AI silicon – for example, it enabled features such as on-device voice translation and advanced photography enhancements in Huawei phones well before some competitors. Fast forward to 2025: despite not having access to Google services or cutting-edge fabs, Huawei is doubling down on AI as a differentiator. It has developed its own AI voice assistant for HarmonyOS, and rumor has it the company is working on new Kirin chips optimized for generative AI tasks ^[41] ^[42]. In fact, industry reports suggest Huawei’s next-gen phone AI will allow things like personalized local voice interactions, automatic content creation (like generating videos from your photo gallery via voice command), and smart file organization – indicating they want to bring generative AI features to phones without cloud dependence ^[43] ^[44]. On the hardware front, Huawei pulled a surprise move in mid-2025 by launching its first HarmonyOS PCs in China ^[45]. These laptops (branded MateBook X Pro and a foldable MateBook Fold) run Huawei’s HarmonyOS 5 (instead of Windows), feature in-house Kirin chipsets with AI NPUs, and aim to provide secure, AI-powered, cross-device experiences within Huawei’s ecosystem ^[46] ^[47]. Essentially, Huawei is trying to create a self-reliant PC ecosystem parallel to its phones, since it can no longer obtain Windows licenses or x86 chips due to sanctions ^[48]. The HarmonyOS PCs highlight AI integration (e.g. intelligent voice assistance, multi-device AI resource sharing) as a key selling point, alongside novel designs like an 18-inch foldable OLED screen on one model ^[49] ^[50]. However, Huawei’s global PC presence is minimal beyond China, and the lack of Windows compatibility is a major hurdle for international markets ^[51] ^[52]. In smartphones, Huawei remains strong in China (recently launching the Mate 60/70 series, which boasted advanced satellite connectivity and AI imaging features), but internationally its market share is limited. Still, companies like Huawei (and fellow Chinese brands like Xiaomi, which also invest in on-device AI and voice assistants) represent a different flavor of competition – one that emphasizes self-developed AI platforms and chips. Huawei’s approach underscores how AI is also a geopolitical battleground: it is leveraging AI to make its products attractive without relying on U.S. tech, pushing the envelope in chipset design to achieve performance parity. For Lenovo, which is a Chinese-origin company but operates globally with partners, Huawei isn’t a direct competitor in most markets (Lenovo doesn’t sell phones in China under its own brand, and Huawei doesn’t sell PCs globally). But if we zoom out, both illustrate how AI integration is now a baseline expectation for tech devices – whether it’s a Huawei phone that can translate languages in real time on-device, or a Lenovo laptop that can summarize your meeting notes with a local AI model.

Others: Aside from the above giants, other PC makers are also jumping on AI. ASUS and Acer, for example, revealed new AI-powered PCs at IFA 2025 as well. Asus announced Zenbook laptops using AMD’s new Ryzen AI chips (which have built-in NPUs), and Acer’s updated ConceptD creator laptops now include AI-assisted color tuning and upscaling features for designers ts2.tech. Even Microsoft has gotten into the mix with its Surface devices: the latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro (5G) models introduced in late 2024 feature Qualcomm NPUs capable of 40+ TOPS, and Microsoft labels them “Copilot ready” PCs designed to showcase Windows 11’s AI features ts2.tech. In short, nearly every OEM now has or is about to have AI-accelerated models in their lineup, especially at the premium end. The industry consensus is that this wave of AI integration is just beginning – analysts predict over 100 million AI-PCs will ship in 2025, accounting for more than half of all new PCs, and by 2030 virtually every new PC sold will come with some form of AI acceleration built-in ts2.tech ts2.tech. In mobile, the trend is similar: practically all high-end smartphones already include AI coprocessors, and 2025 is seeing the first wave of phones (from Google, Qualcomm’s partners, and now Lenovo/Motorola) that can run certain generative AI models locally (for instance, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 boasts the ability to run LLMs with up to 10 billion parameters on-device) ^[53] ts2.tech.

Expert Analysis and Market Outlook

Industry experts view Lenovo’s latest announcements as a clear sign that AI is transitioning from buzzword to baselinein personal tech. The breadth of Lenovo’s AI implementations – from a rotating-screen laptop concept to a smartphone that creates images on its own – demonstrates how AI is becoming woven into the fabric of devices, rather than an add-on. “The PC is the most important personal productivity device of our lifetime and it is being transformed by AI,” Dell CEO Michael Dell remarked earlier this year ^[54], reflecting a sentiment shared across the sector. Indeed, AI PCs are expected to drive the next upgrade cycle in the stagnating PC market. Market research indicates global shipments of AI-enabled PCs are skyrocketing – from roughly 50 million units in 2024 to forecasts of 100+ million in 2025, on track to make up over half of all PC sales by 2026 ts2.tech. By 2030, virtually every new PC could have on-board AI capabilities ts2.tech ts2.tech. This suggests we are at a tipping point where AI features (like intelligent assistants, predictive optimizations, AI content creation tools) will be as standard in PCs as cameras and touchscreens are in phones.

Lenovo’s “AI everywhere” blitz also highlights an important competitive dynamic: it’s not just about having AI, but how seamlessly you integrate and execute it. As one tech observer noted at IFA, “The race is now in who executes AI most seamlessly.” ts2.tech Every major brand will have access to similar underlying AI technologies (thanks to chip vendors and platforms like Windows Copilot or Android’s AI), so the differentiation shifts to user experience, design innovation, and trust. Lenovo’s strategy appears to focus on hyper-personalization (making devices that adapt proactively to the user), deep partnerships (with Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft – leveraging each of their best AI tech), and form-factor innovation (ensuring AI isn’t confined to a voice in a box, but can be engaged via new hardware interactions – whether it’s talking to a tablet or waving at a smart dock) ts2.tech ts2.tech. This mirrors Lenovo’s long-standing theme “Smarter Technology for All,” now specifically evolved into “Smarter AI for All” in its marketing. In practical terms, consumers and businesses can expect Lenovo’s late-2025 and 2026 lineup to bring more AI “companions” in various guises: PCs that can anticipate and automate routine tasks, tablets that serve as creative co-pilots, and phones that act as intelligent personal assistants curating your digital life.

Early reactions from tech reviewers at IFA 2025 underscore the promise of Lenovo’s approach. Digital Trends, after seeing the ThinkBook VertiFlex concept, called the rotating dual-mode screen “an ideal solution” for multitaskers (like vertically scrolling through code or social feeds) and confessed “I want it right now,” expressing hope that Lenovo will commercialize it soon ^[55]. Such enthusiasm suggests Lenovo’s experimental designs are striking a chord by addressing real user pain points (e.g. the need for more vertical screen space or hands-free ergonomic adjustment). Similarly, the Legion Go 2 handheld earned praise for pushing the boundaries of the nascent PC gaming handheld category – LaptopMag noted that the Legion Go 2 “aims to outclass [the] Steam Deck & ROG Ally” in display, performance and flexibility ts2.tech. By integrating generative AI capabilities directly into tablets and phones (for example, sketch-to-image on the Yoga Tab, or the Edge 60 Neo creating custom images via Image Studio), Lenovo is testing whether consumers are ready for AI beyond just voice assistants. It’s a bit of a gamble – these features will need to prove genuinely useful and not just gimmicks. But if successful, Lenovo could set itself apart from competitors who have been more cautious in bringing AI to the forefront of user interaction.

Looking ahead, market implications of this AI-first device era are significant. For one, if Lenovo’s AI-infused products gain traction, it could reinforce Lenovo’s market lead in PCs and possibly give it an edge in the Android device arena. Lenovo has been the world’s #1 PC maker since 2018 in market share ^[56], and bets big and early on new tech (like it did with 2-in-1s and gaming PCs) have historically helped it defend that position. On the mobile side, Lenovo (through Motorola) is a smaller player globally, but emphasizing AI might carve out a niche especially in markets or segments that value privacy (on-device AI) and creativity. If, on the other hand, some of Lenovo’s AI features don’t resonate, we may see AI become simply an expected baseline (or “table stakes”) and the competition will shift back to fundamentals like build quality, software polish, and ecosystem trust – areas where companies like Apple or HP might press their advantages in slicker software or enterprise security integration ts2.tech ts2.tech.

One thing is certain: AI is the new battleground for device makers. Lenovo’s all-in approach at IFA 2025 has fired a significant shot, one that is prompting every rival to accelerate their own AI plans. Consumers stand to benefit from this arms race, as AI features that sounded like sci-fi a couple years ago (an offline laptop that understands natural language, a tablet that can imagine drawings into images, a phone that proactively suggests what you need) are rapidly becoming reality. The remainder of 2025 and 2026 will reveal just how much these AI innovations can truly augment daily life – and which company can most seamlessly weave the new capabilities into products that people love to use. Lenovo has laid its cards on the table with a bold, across-the-board bet on smarter devices, and the tech world is certainly watching to see if this bet pays off. ts2.tech

Lenovo Innovation World at IFA 2025