India’s Billionaire Aims to Transform Obsolete Computers into AI-Ready PCs

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio is launching its cloud PC service to all internet users in India, presenting it as a solution to transform outdated computers into AI-ready devices without the need for hardware upgrades.

On Wednesday, Reliance Jio broadened the availability of JioPC, which was initially introduced in July 2025, to include all internet users, not just its broadband subscribers. This standalone subscription service works for any user with an internet connection, regardless of their telecom or broadband provider. It allows users to stream a virtual PC from Jio’s cloud to their existing computer, offering plans that feature up to eight virtual CPUs, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

According to Jio, this service enables even computers that are up to eight years old to access the necessary computing capabilities for contemporary AI applications, eliminating the need for hardware replacements. Subscription plans start at ₹1,000 (approximately $11) for a two-month period, while a 12-month plan costs ₹4,000 (around $42) for 8GB of RAM and 500GB of storage, or ₹5,000 (approximately $53) for the setup with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

In 2025, India had over 65 million active PCs, which included roughly 34 million consumer devices and 31 million commercial ones, according to IDC estimates. This number is projected to approach 69 million by the end of 2026.

Ambani’s initiative arrives as replacement cycles are extending. Consumers and small businesses in India generally update their PCs every five to six years, an increase from the previous cycle of four to five years in 2022, as stated by IDC’s senior market analyst Bharath Shenoy to TechCrunch. Enterprises are also extending the lifecycle of their devices, with replacement cycles now averaging around four years, up from three.

Jio is betting that cloud computing can further elongate these lifecycles. By relocating much of the processing and storage from the device to its data centers, India’s most valuable enterprise can continually enhance computing capacity without necessitating hardware upgrades from users.

Prabhu Ram, a vice president at the industry research group of CyberMedia Research, noted that JioPC could foster a marketplace where consumers invest in computing capabilities rather than repeatedly spending on hardware.

“Jio is expanding its value proposition by making JioPC accessible to non-Jio users while simultaneously challenging the conventional hardware upgrade cycle,” Ram mentioned to TechCrunch.

Despite this, he does not anticipate that this model will completely supplant traditional PCs. Ram pointed out that JioPC could establish an alternate, cost-sensitive tier for households, students, and others who initially found the idea of purchasing an AI-capable PC unfeasible.

Traditionally, Indians have favored ownership of their hardware over subscribing to PCs as a service, as Shenoy indicated. Jio will need to persuade consumers that ongoing subscriptions justify the trade-offs of relinquishing certain advantages offered by conventional PCs, including offline functionality.

This reliance could be particularly significant in smaller cities and towns, where accessible computing has the greatest potential for growth. JioPC necessitates a reliable internet connection, and any interruptions can negatively impact the user experience, unlike standard computers.

Furthermore, there is competition from refurbished PCs at the lower end of the market, which Shenoy noted allows consumers to secure affordable hardware without being bound to connectivity.

Jio’s vision of an “AI-ready” PC through JioPC also challenges the traditional concept of what constitutes an AI PC. The company has not shared extensive details regarding the underlying hardware powering the cloud service; however, the specifications provided do not reference dedicated AI accelerators for on-device generative AI processes, a hallmark of contemporary AI PCs.

Additionally, Ram emphasized that the true test for Jio lies in whether users perceive cloud computing as a “daily utility” rather than merely an “opportunistic workaround,” and are open to paying for computing capabilities instead of investing in new hardware.