14 February 2025

This year's AI developments

Global risk

The year 2025 will be marked by massive investment in artificial intelligence. Leading technology companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta plan to spend more than $320 billion on AI, a significant increase from $246 billion in 2024. This money will be primarily spent on building data centres and buying specialised chips to develop advanced language models. This trend is expected to significantly accelerate the development of AI applications that will find widespread use not only in the technology sector but also in other industries. Companies are thus responding to the growing demand for more powerful AI systems that can fundamentally impact the way we work and live our daily lives.

Amazon plans to invest more than $100 billion in infrastructure for Amazon Web Services. Microsoft is planning an $80 billion expansion of its Azure cloud platform, while Alphabet is increasing capital expenditure to $75 billion, a 42% year-on-year increase. Meta plans to invest USD 60 billion to USD 65 billion, almost double its initial estimates. These sums confirm that tech giants see AI as a key pillar of their future and are looking to strengthen their market position.

However, this investment approach is raising concerns among investors. Some are questioning whether such high spending will yield adequate returns, especially in the context of competition from Chinese startup DeepSeek, which is launching competitive AI models at significantly lower costs. Still, tech company leaders stress that investing in AI is essential for continued growth and innovation. They point to similar historical parallels, such as the development of cloud computing, where high investment ultimately proved to be strategically beneficial. However, critics point to risks, including increasing energy consumption or regulatory constraints.

Analysts remain optimistic and expect that increased investment in AI will support further growth in the technology sector. However, it will be key to see how this spending translates into real-world results. Companies must not only innovate, but also manage costs effectively to minimise financial risks. If successful, AI could revolutionise a range of areas, from healthcare to workflow automation.