Harish Kohli on Acer’s push for AI and edge solutions in India’s enterprise market 

India's enterprise tech market is at a pivotal moment, with businesses accelerating their digital transformation to stay competitive. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), edge computing, and automation is reshaping how companies operate.

Acer, a global leader in computing, has deep roots in India’s enterprise sector, having started its operations focused on commercial solutions. Over the years, the company expanded into consumer markets while maintaining a strong presence in key sectors such as banking, education, and pharmaceuticals.

In a conversation with TechCircle, Harish Kohli, President & Managing Director, Acer India outlines the company’s strategy for the Indian enterprise market, highlighting its focus on AI, edge computing, and vertical-specific solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of modern businesses. Edited Excerpts:

Acer has traditionally been strong in the consumer space. How are you positioning the brand in India’s enterprise tech segment?

You're absolutely right in your statement, and globally, that holds true. However, there are a couple of exceptions, and India is one of them, where things unfolded quite differently. 

The reason goes back to 1998–99, when the Wipro-Acer joint venture ended. At that time, most of our customers in India were from the enterprise segment. As a result, we essentially started off as an enterprise-focused company rather than one serving consumers.

In fact, we didn't enter the consumer market until around 2004, five years after we began operations, when we launched our first consumer desktops and notebooks. So, in India, our journey has been exactly the opposite of what you described.

Given the rise of AI in enterprise tech, how is your company evolving its hardware roadmap?

Since its inception in 1976 in Taiwan, Acer has consistently upheld one guiding principle: delivering innovative technology at an affordable price. This commitment has remained unchanged over the last 48 years and continues to define our approach to product development and market presence.

Operating within Taiwan’s thriving tech ecosystem, often referred to as the "Mecca" of manufacturing, research & development, and IT hardware design, Acer has played a significant role in shaping the global technology landscape. We’ve not only kept pace with the industry's evolution but have often led it. In many cases, Acer has been among the first to introduce groundbreaking technologies into commercially available products. 

Our legacy of innovation spans decades. Over 10–12 years ago, we were among the early pioneers in the gaming notebook segment, bringing high-performance computing to gamers around the world. Today, as the industry shifts towards AI-powered solutions, Acer remains at the forefront. We offer a full range of AI-enabled devices, including notebooks, desktops, and servers, designed to meet the needs of both individual consumers and enterprise customers.

Whether it’s high-performance machines for gamers, AI-integrated systems for professionals, or scalable solutions for businesses, Acer continues to stay true to its mission: delivering fresh, forward-thinking technology that remains accessible to all.

How is your company exploring edge computing, and are you offering any edge-ready devices for industries like manufacturing, retail, or logistics?

Edge computing is transforming industries, and Acer is well-positioned to support this shift. Globally, we've built a diverse portfolio of edge-ready solutions, including AI-powered devices, servers, and workstations, that bring real-time processing closer to the data source. These technologies are especially valuable in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and retail, where speed, efficiency, and decentralised computing are crucial.

In India, we're closely tracking enterprise adoption and actively engaging with partners and customers to gauge market readiness. While the infrastructure and software landscape continues to evolve, Acer is ready to roll out advanced edge computing solutions as demand grows. Backed by our global product pipeline and a strong focus on AI and digital transformation, we’re prepared to deliver edge-capable technologies that meet the needs of tomorrow’s enterprises.

Are there any specific verticals your company is targeting? 

Let me take you back to the period between 1999 and 2004, when we adopted a new strategic approach. In India, we’ve traditionally viewed our business in two segments: commercial and consumer. While the commercial segment still contributes a significant 65% of our revenue, the consumer segment has been growing steadily and now accounts for 35%. Our long-term goal is to reach a balanced 50:50 revenue mix. Although that shift takes time, the increasing adoption in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities reinforces our confidence that we’re on the right track. In fact, had it not been for Covid, we might have already achieved that balance.

From 2000 to 2010, as we transitioned from a joint venture to majority control, we became deeply entrenched in India’s banking sector. At that time, most public sector banks were using servers supplied by Wipro or Acer. Even today, there isn’t a single major bank that doesn’t source from us, whether it’s notebooks, desktops, or all-in-one systems.

Education is another major focus area for us, and we’re one of the leading players in this space. A significant portion of our revenue comes from educational institutions. The SMB segment is also key, followed by IT services companies such as TCS, Cognizant, and Infosys. In fact, Infosys has been a customer since 1998 and continues to be one of our largest. At our peak, between 2010 and 2012, we were maintaining over 200,000 devices for them, under both warranty and maintenance contracts.

Pharmaceuticals is another strong vertical for us. Among the top 10 pharma companies in India, 6 or 7 are consistent Acer customers. Our enterprise strategy is very vertical-focused, which has helped us build strong relationships across industries.

How do you think automation and AI-driven technologies like self-healing systems, predictive maintenance, and hardware management will shape the future of enterprise IT?

The shift we're seeing is more vertical-specific. Take banking, for example—data security will always be a top priority. Because of this, many stationary IT products won’t reach end-of-life anytime soon. Banks will continue relying on on-premise infrastructure rather than systems that can be moved offsite.

In the education sector, we’ve seen a clear evolution. It started with a simple computer lab setup, one server and ten desktops. Then came the digital classroom, which initially enabled one-way communication from teacher to student. Now, we’re moving to a two-way interactive model, where students can engage directly with teachers in real-time.

Despite technological advancements, core IT hardware will still play a critical role in these verticals. Yes, emerging technologies open up new possibilities, but they aren’t replacing traditional hardware just yet. Over the past 25–30 years, many predicted the end of conventional IT infrastructure—but it hasn’t happened. The hardware remains essential and continues to evolve alongside innovation.

What challenges do you foresee in scaling the enterprise business, particularly in India?

One of the biggest challenges in the Indian enterprise space is moving away from long-standing brand loyalties, especially as many IT leaders have spent decades working with legacy systems. Today’s CIOs and CTOs are more open than ever to exploring next-gen solutions that better support evolving business needs. While past decisions were often shaped by vendor relationships, the focus has now shifted to performance, security, and long-term value.

Enterprises are becoming more outcome-driven and value-focused, actively seeking modern solutions that support their digital transformation goals. Acer is meeting this shift head-on with a robust lineup of AI-ready servers, workstations, and enterprise notebooks, combining global innovation with strong local service. As performance, security, and total cost of ownership take priority over legacy ties, our enterprise offerings are gaining strong traction across industries.