A COMMISSIONED STUDY CONDUCTED BY FORRESTER CONSULTING ON BEHALF OF DELL TECHNOLOGIES AND MICROSOFT COPILOT+, SEPTEMBER 2026 Why AI PCs Matter Now In Federal Work
© FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2 3 ABOUT FORRESTER CONSULTING Forrester provides independent and objective research-based consulting to help leaders deliver key outcomes. Fueled by our customer-obsessed research, Forrester’s seasoned consultants partner with leaders to execute their specific priorities using a unique engagement model that ensures lasting impact. For more information, visit forrester.com/consulting. © Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited. Information is based on best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. Forrester®, Technographics®, Forrester Wave, and Total Economic Impact are trademarks of Forrester Research, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. [E-68927] Project Team: Lane Abernathy, Market Impact Consultant Sarah Brinks, Principal Market Impact Consultant Contributing Research: Forrester’s Technology Architecture and Delivery research group Executive Summary In May of 2026, Dell Technologies and Microsoft Copilot+ commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate the role of AI-powered endpoint devices (i.e., AI PCs) in US federal agencies and their partners. Forrester surveyed 324 IT decision-makers responsible for endpoint device procurement across US federal agencies, federal systems integrators, government contractors, and private organizations that primarily serve the federal government. This study found that AI-enabled PCs will create transformational benefits for agencies through faster decisions, more efficient data processing, and improved security posture. However, while AI adoption is accelerating quickly, many organizations and individuals are not prepared for successful adoption.
5 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] AI is becoming more integrated in federal operations AI is no longer a future-state consideration. As it moves quickly into operations, mission-support workflows, and planning cycles, government agencies and their partners face both opportunity and pressure. But most organizations are not ready. Only one-quarter of respondents said their workforce is fully prepared to adopt AI. of respondents said AI-capable endpoint devices are at least somewhat important for their organization’s success over the next two years No use Today In 24 months Experimentation or pilots only Limited deployment to specific tasks Broad deployment across the organization Mission-critical/ production use 18% 4% 25% 15% 34% 21% 17% 39% 6% 21% Level Of AI Adoption 80%
7 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6 Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] AI PCs are critical to success AI-capable endpoint devices are becoming more important to near-term government technology strategy. Eighty percent of respondents said AI PCs will be at least somewhat important to organizational success over the next two years, and more than half said they will be important or very important. Not at all important Not too important Somewhat important Important Very important 4% 15% 23% 31% 26% Importance Of AI PCs For Success Over The Next 24 Months
9 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 8 Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] Outdated endpoints hurt security, productivity, and operational effectiveness Nearly half of respondents said their agency needs a large-scale device refresh, but it would significantly disrupt operations. Outdated endpoints are no longer just a maintenance concern. They are increasingly a constraint on secure modernization and mission performance. Decreased security Delayed timelines Decreased productivity Increased technical debt None of the above 34% 31% 30% 24% 2% Impact Of Outdated Devices of respondents said that if their organization does not modernize its endpoints, it will struggle to meet mission requirements 56% Outdated devices are holding back 98% of all teams
11 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10 Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] AI PCs are critical to meeting federal security, compliance, and Zero Trust requirements For organizations operating in sensitive environments, on-device AI may be especially relevant. Nearly three-fourths of respondents indicated that local or hybrid AI approaches are essential to supporting security needs by reducing reliance on cloud-only architectures for certain workloads. Hybrid cloud Cloud-only On-device only 41% 28% 31% Cloud Vs. On-Device AI Architecture of IT leaders agreed that on-device AI reduces risk relative to cloud AI 59% 72% rely on AIpowered PCs, whether entirely or as part of a hybrid cloud strategy
13 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 12 Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] Base: 324 IT decision-makers in the US federal government, systems integrators, and contractors responsible for endpoint device purchasing Source: Forrester’s Q2 2026 AI PCs in US Government Survey [E-68927] Faster decision-making Improved service delivery to the public Budget justification materials Enhanced cybersecurity compliance Pilot programs and demos More efficient data processing Improved security posture Clear documentation of use cases Increased trust in AI Change management support Reduced operational workload Training and hands-on enablement More accurate decisions Security and compliance guidance Local training and inferencing Self-service capabilities Enhanced field operations Certifications 61% 57% 62% 56% 57% 61% 56% 60% 52% 55% 57% 66% 56% 59% 48% 55% 45% 54% Most Helpful Support For Adoption Of AI Tools Benefits Of AI PCs AI PCs are emerging as a practical enabler of secure modernization Organizations need significant support to accelerate adoption For many teams, investing in AI is not enough. They need support from partners across the entire journey, from clear documentation of use cases to help justify investment to training and hands-on enablement to successfully adopt.
Key Recommendations Forrester’s in-depth survey of 324 IT leaders working in or with the US federal government yielded several important recommendations: Align and prioritize endpoint decisions with agency requirements and use cases. Start with the workflows and use case scenarios, not the device. Segment potential AI PC users by role, workload, and risk profile. Not every user needs the same device configuration. Roles, work patterns, and data sensitivity vary widely. Use controlled pilot deployments to learn before scaling. Many agencies will be better served by starting small. Device modernization initiatives must include training and governance activities. Technology adoption without workforce enablement creates unnecessary risk. 15 © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 14 Methodology In this study, Forrester conducted an online survey of 324 IT decision-makers. The study began in April 2026 and was completed in May 2026. Note: Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. Demographics COUNTRY United States 100% NUMBER OF ENDPOINTS MANAGED <50 6% 50 to 99 17% 100 to 499 26% 250 to 499 23% 500 or more 27% SENIORITY C-level or equivalent 14% Vice president 23% Director 32% Program manager 30% RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENDPOINT HARDWARE DECISIONS Final decision-maker 29% Part of the decisionmaking team 39% Influence decisions 33% INDUSTRY WORKED IN/ SUPPORT Civilian 26% Defense 27% Intelligence 22% Law enforcement 13% Military 30% NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 2 to 499 15% 500 to 4,999 49% 5,000 to 19,999 23% 20,000 or more 13%
© FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Explore More Read the full study: Powering Secure Federal Work RELATED FORRESTER RESEARCH “Essential Research For US Federal Tech Transformation,” Forrester Research, Inc., August 22, 2025. “Master The Public Sector’s Machinery-OfGovernment Change,” Forrester Research, Inc., February 25, 2025. Blog: “How US Federal Leaders Can Find Mission Order Amidst Upheaval,” Sam Higgins, February 28, 2025 Read now Powering Secure Federal Work Why AI PCs Matter Now A FORRESTER CONSULTING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP PAPER COMMISSIONED BY DELL TECHNOLOGIES AND MICROSOFT COPILOT+, AUGUST 2026
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