Levi Strauss replaces ageing laptops with AI-enabled PCs for employees

Levi Strauss & Co. has replaced ageing employee laptops with AI-enabled personal computers, marking a technology upgrade aimed at supporting data-intensive work and improving reliability across its global workforce.

The company said the move followed persistent performance issues with older devices that struggled with complex workloads, frequently crashed and disrupted day-to-day operations. Levi Strauss confirmed the rollout in a company statement outlining its broader push to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday work.

The new devices, known as Surface Copilot+ PCs, are being deployed company-wide as part of a wider modernisation of employee technology. Levi Strauss said the decision was driven by the need to equip staff with systems capable of handling large data sets, automation tools and AI-assisted workflows.

“We made a strategic decision to move to Copilot+ PCs because we knew that AI was a strategic technology that we want to deploy to all of our employees,” said Michael Womack, vice-president of technology services at Levi Strauss.

The upgrade comes as Levi Strauss accelerates its shift from a predominantly wholesale business to a more direct-to-consumer model. Jason Gowans, the company’s chief digital and technology officer, said AI now plays a central role in how the business plans to scale. Levi Strauss currently generates about $6.5bn in annual revenue and is targeting $10bn over time, he said.

Around 400 AI-enabled PCs have already been deployed, with further rollout under way. Employees are using AI tools for tasks such as faster data analysis, document preparation and presentation building, according to the company.

Beyond productivity, Levi Strauss cited security as a key factor behind the switch. Gowans said the new devices provide hardware-based protections and align with a zero-trust security model, helping safeguard sensitive corporate and employee data.

The IT function has also reported operational gains. Willem Lock, director of end-user services, said tighter integration with Microsoft’s device management tools has simplified fleet administration and improved consistency for employees logging in from new devices.

The technology refresh reflects a broader trend among large employers seeking to modernise workplace hardware as AI tools become embedded in core business processes. How quickly such investments translate into measurable productivity gains remains a key question, particularly as companies balance technology spending with cost discipline.