Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio is expanding its JioPC cloud service across India, allowing any internet user to transform aging computers into AI-capable machines without hardware upgrades. Initially launched in July 2025 for Jio broadband subscribers, the service now offers virtual PCs streamed from Jio’s data centers to devices regardless of their internet provider. JioPC subscriptions start at roughly $11 for two months, providing up to eight virtual CPUs, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB storage, enabling older machines—some as old as eight years—to run modern AI applications smoothly.

India has over 65 million PCs in use, split evenly between consumers and businesses, with replacement cycles lengthening from about four to five years in 2022 to five to six years more recently. Reliance Jio aims to capitalize on this by offering cloud computing as a way to extend computer lifespans, shifting the computational workload from the device to remote servers. This approach challenges the traditional model where users replace hardware to keep pace with new software demands, potentially making computing more affordable and accessible for Indian households and small businesses via a subscription instead of costly upgrades.

Industry analysts see JioPC creating a new segment focused on price-sensitive customers who previously could not afford AI-ready PCs. However, concerns include dependence on stable internet connections for the streaming service, which could impact user experience in less connected regions. Additionally, there is competition from refurbished PCs, which provide offline computing without recurring fees. Jio will need to convince consumers accustomed to owning hardware that paying for virtual computing power is worthwhile despite these challenges.

While JioPC offers specs capable of running AI workloads, the service does not currently tout dedicated AI accelerators found in specialized hardware PCs. Experts note the bigger test is whether cloud computing will be embraced as a daily utility rather than a stopgap. Jio’s strategy reflects a shift toward paying for computing as a service and may redefine how many Indians access AI technologies, especially those who never saw an AI-capable PC purchase as financially feasible before.