The booming generative AI market: heading towards $100 billion by 2028
The generative AI market is accelerating at a spectacular pace. In 2024, it experienced a staggering 82% growth compared to the previous year, driven by massive investments from tech giants. According to Sopra Steria Next, this trend is not slowing down: generative AI is expected to surpass $100 billion by 2028, with a potential high estimate of $120 billion in its most optimistic scenario.
A market in transition between exploration and impact
The past year marked a phase of experimentation for businesses, with adoption still hesitant despite an unprecedented technological boom. “2024 was a year of acceleration; 2025 will be a year of tangible results,” emphasizes Fabrice Asvazadourian, CEO of Sopra Steria Next. While major companies have integrated AI into their strategies, the profitability of business models remains a central concern.
Record investments to build the infrastructure of tomorrow
Funding for generative AI is reaching record levels. Microsoft ($80 billion), Meta ($65 billion), Amazon, and Google are pouring massive investments into building the AI infrastructure of the future. Between Q2 2023 and Q3 2024, investments nearly doubled, reaching $64 billion in just three months. “This high level of investment is now the new norm for the next three years,” the report states.
A race between five giants and the rise of new players
Five companies dominate the sector: Anthropic, Google, Meta, OpenAI, and xAI. “OpenAI remains the leading player in terms of usage traffic,” but the rise of Perplexity AI and DeepSeek is reshaping the landscape. DeepSeek, in particular, stands out for its high performance at a lower cost, but also raises concerns about the origins of its model and compliance with data protection regulations.
Companies facing the challenge of scaling up
Despite the surge in usage, many companies remain stuck in the testing phase, struggling to deploy generative AI at scale. “We are still in the era of POCmania, where AI is being experimented with but struggles to prove its profitability,” notes Sopra Steria Next. One major barrier? Inference costs, which, despite being reduced tenfold in a year, remain a critical challenge.
2025: The year of tangible results?
The future of generative AI now depends on its ability to deliver real business value. According to Sopra Steria Next, 2025 must be the year of large-scale deployment, with four key priorities for companies:
- Prioritize AI projects that have a tangible impact on financial performance.
- Explore the potential of autonomous AI agents.
- Manage a portfolio of foundation models tailored to business needs.
- Ensure ethical and compliant AI, especially in response to the AI Act gradually coming into effect.
As investments continue to grow, the next crucial step is to turn experimentation into real economic impact.
Source of the new : L’usineDigitale
