硬AI·2025-09-18 16:01Core Viewpoint - Major tech companies are in an unprecedented AI infrastructure arms race, with capital expenditure intensity approaching peak levels seen during the internet bubble, leading to potential underestimation of future depreciation costs and risks of a price war by 2027 [2][3][11]. Group 1: Capital Expenditure Trends - Morgan Stanley predicts that capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue for major players like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle will reach 26% by 2027, nearing the 32% peak during the internet bubble [3][5]. - The actual scale of investment is underestimated due to the increasing use of off-balance-sheet tools like financing leases, which are not fully captured in traditional capital expenditure data [5][6]. - Microsoft and Oracle's capital intensity is expected to rise significantly when financing leases are included, with Microsoft's ratio projected to increase from 28% to 38% and Oracle's from 41% to 58% by fiscal 2026 [6]. Group 2: Impact of Construction in Progress - A significant amount of capital is currently tied up in "Construction in Progress" (CIP), which does not incur depreciation until the assets are operational, delaying the impact on profit statements [8]. - Google, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle have seen substantial increases in their CIP balances, with Amazon's growing by approximately 60% ($17 billion) and Google's by about 40% ($15 billion) over the past year [8]. Group 3: Future Depreciation Costs - Analysts at Bank of America highlight that Wall Street is underestimating future depreciation expenses, with a projected discrepancy of nearly $16.4 billion for Google, Amazon, and Meta by 2027 [11][15]. - The rapid technological advancements in AI hardware, such as GPUs, may lead to shorter asset lifespans, with Amazon already reducing the expected lifespan of some servers from six years to five [13]. Group 4: Potential Price War - If supply continues to outpace demand, a price war may emerge as early as 2027, with major players potentially adopting aggressive pricing strategies to maintain utilization rates, which could compress profit margins [16].