行业观察 | Token市场占据半壁江山，火山引擎在打什么牌？

Core Insights - The article emphasizes that the volume of Tokens called is a more accurate reflection of the actual load of large models in the AI cloud market than the scale of GPU computing power [2][6][11] - Volcano Engine has emerged as a significant player in the Chinese AI cloud market, with a revenue target exceeding 20 billion yuan for 2025, following a revenue of over 11 billion yuan in 2024 [2][3][35] - The focus on Token consumption indicates a shift in the cloud computing industry from selling computing power to selling Tokens, which could provide a competitive advantage for Volcano Engine [6][20][36] Market Position - According to IDC reports, Volcano Engine holds a 49.2% market share in the large model public cloud service market for the first half of 2025, up from 46.4% in 2024 [3][6] - In the AI infrastructure market, Volcano Engine ranks third with a 9% market share, and in the generative AI infrastructure market, it ranks second with a 14.2% market share [3] Token Consumption Growth - The Token consumption in China is experiencing rapid growth, with a reported increase of nearly 10 times from June to December 2024 [7][12] - The total Token consumption in the Chinese large model public cloud service market reached 537 trillion times in the first half of 2025 [7] - Volcano Engine's Ark platform saw a year-on-year increase of 3.98 times in Token consumption [7] Strategic Focus - Volcano Engine prioritizes Token consumption over revenue from GPU computing, viewing it as a better indicator of AI industry health and customer engagement [6][9][10] - The company aims to create a virtuous cycle where stronger model capabilities lead to increased AI applications and higher Token consumption [10][21] Future Outlook - Predictions suggest that by the end of 2027, the daily Token consumption of the Doubao model could exceed 100 trillion, marking a growth of at least 100 times from 2024 [18] - The shift from "selling computing power" to "selling Tokens" is seen as a significant evolution in cloud computing technology and business models [20][36] Competitive Landscape - Volcano Engine's strategy mirrors that of Google, which has successfully integrated its AI models with consumer applications to enhance Token consumption and reduce computing costs [22][35] - The company is positioned to leverage its extensive consumer application ecosystem, including Douyin and Doubao, to further increase its market share in Token consumption [34][35]