Azure vs AWS vs Google Cloud: Who Wins the AI Race in 2026?

Core Insights - The competition for AI leadership among major cloud providers is intensifying, with Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon leading in different segments of the AI stack [1] Microsoft (Azure) - In Q2 FY2026, Microsoft's Cloud revenue rose 26% to US$51.5 billion, driven by a 39% increase in Azure and other cloud revenue [2] - Microsoft's capital expenditure (CAPEX) surged 66% YoY to US$37.5 billion, raising concerns about the sustainability of growth [2] - The backlog for Azure reached US$625 billion, up 110% YoY, indicating strong demand for Azure services [3] - OpenAI contributed 45% to Microsoft's backlog, while the non-OpenAI segment grew 28% YoY, reflecting broad-based demand [3] - Microsoft is developing custom AI accelerators and integrating AI into its product suites, similar to Alphabet's strategy [3] - The company has extended the useful life of older GPUs through advanced software, akin to NVIDIA's CUDA approach [4] Alphabet (Google Cloud Platform - GCP) - In Q4 2025, Alphabet's Cloud revenue increased 48% YoY to US$17.7 billion, with GCP growing at an even higher rate [5] - Alphabet's CAPEX in Q4 2025 rose 95% YoY to US$27.9 billion, with total CAPEX for 2025 reaching US$91.4 billion [5] - GCP's backlog grew 55% sequentially to US$240 billion in Q4 2025, with projected CAPEX for 2026 expected to be US$175 billion to US$185 billion [6] - Revenue from GCP's AI products grew nearly 400% YoY in Q4 2025, with costs to run its AI models reduced by 78% [7] - 14 of Alphabet's AI-powered products have annual revenues exceeding US$1 billion, indicating significant adoption [8] Amazon (AWS) - AWS revenue surged 24% YoY to US$35.6 billion in Q4 2025, marking the fastest growth in 13 quarters [9] - Amazon's CAPEX reached US$39.5 billion in Q4 2025, a 42% YoY increase, with total CAPEX for 2025 at US$131.8 billion [9] - Projected CAPEX for 2026 is expected to be around US$200 billion, driven by demand for core and AI workloads [10] - Amazon's backlog increased 40% YoY to US$244 billion, reflecting strong demand [10] - AWS's Trainium and Graviton chips are generating a US$10 billion annual revenue run rate, growing at triple-digit percentages YoY [13] - Amazon Bedrock, a service for building AI applications, is utilized by over 100,000 companies and has a multi-billion-dollar annualized revenue run rate [13] - Amazon Connect reached a US$1 billion annualized revenue run rate in Q4 2025, growing at 30% YoY [13]