The $250 Billion Inference Economy: Why Running AI Is the New Gold Rush

The global AI applications market is projected to grow from USD 5,130.0 million in 2025 to USD 26,362.4 million by 2030, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.7%. This rapid expansion is driven by AI's integration into core business operations across industries like healthcare, finance, and retail. As AI tools become essential for automation, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making, demand for AI-powered solutions is surging.

Natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision are leading segments in the AI market. NLP accounted for 31.5% of global AI revenue in 2024 and continues to revolutionize communication, diagnostics, and customer engagement. In healthcare, NLP improves medical documentation and clinical decision-making, while in finance, it aids in risk assessment and fraud detection.

North America remains the largest market for AI applications, holding 29.48% of the global share in 2024. The U.S. is a major contributor, with tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM driving innovation. Government initiatives and corporate investments are accelerating AI adoption, particularly in healthcare, entertainment, and financial services.

Why Is the AI Market Expanding So Quickly?

AI is being integrated into workflows across industries to enhance efficiency. In healthcare, AI is used for diagnostics, drug discovery, and patient management. Financial institutions are adopting AI for fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and customer service. Retailers are leveraging AI for personalized recommendations and inventory optimization. These applications reduce costs and improve outcomes, making AI a strategic investment.

The U.S. is experiencing a surge in AI adoption across sectors. Healthcare is using AI for precision medicine and predictive analytics, while entertainment is integrating automation and robotics. Retailers are analyzing consumer behavior to improve supply chains and customer experiences. Financial services are enhancing fraud detection and customer service with AI.

What Are Analysts Watching in the AI Market?

Market leaders like IBM, Microsoft, and OpenAI are shaping the AI landscape. IBM’s watsonx platform offers AI solutions for enterprises, while OpenAI introduced new models and developer tools in early 2025. These companies are driving innovation, but challenges like data privacy and algorithmic bias remain.

Asia-Pacific is also seeing strong AI growth. In China, Baidu and Xiaomi are advancing AI applications in robotics, image generation, and IoT. Southeast Asia is focusing on AI skills development, with Microsoft planning to train 2.5 million individuals by 2025.

How Are Decentralized Infrastructure Networks Testing AI Workloads?

Salad.com and Golem Network are collaborating to test whether decentralized infrastructure can support AI workloads. Salad plans to use Golem's permissionless execution layer to mirror a portion of its existing cloud computing activities. This partnership aims to evaluate the efficiency gains of decentralized compute resources and crypto-based payments.

By leveraging DePIN protocols, Salad hopes to reduce operational complexity and improve transparency. The test phase will assess how well Golem can handle the breadth of workloads Salad supports, including customer payments and reward distributions.

This partnership reflects a broader trend of testing decentralized alternatives to traditional cloud platforms. DePIN networks aim to deliver reliability, transparency, and cost savings that match enterprise-grade standards.

The AI apps market is on a clear trajectory of growth, with adoption expanding across industries and geographies. As infrastructure providers explore new ways to deliver compute resources, the competition between centralized and decentralized solutions will intensify.