Core Insights - The article discusses the evolution of AI from a centralized, isolated system, as depicted in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," to a more integrated and collaborative role in various industries, emphasizing AI as an "intelligent external brain" rather than a controlling entity [2] - The rapid adoption of AI technologies, particularly large models, is reshaping industry standards and operational frameworks, with a significant increase in token usage reflecting the growing demand for AI services [2][3] Industry Trends - In the first half of this year, the total number of tokens called in China's public cloud services for large models reached 536.7 trillion, with Volcano Engine holding over 49% market share [2] - The shift towards AI cloud-native architecture is highlighted, where models become the core of software, and the use of tokens represents a new metric for measuring AI service consumption [3][5] Investment Landscape - Major tech companies are significantly increasing their capital expenditures on AI, with Google raising its guidance by $8 billion and Meta by $4 billion, leading to an overall industry spending exceeding $200 billion [7][9] - Concerns are raised about the sustainability of this investment, questioning the actual demand and business value generated from such capital expenditures [7][9] Business Model Transformation - The transition from selling computing power (IaaS) to selling tokens (MaaS) represents a fundamental shift in cloud service providers' business models, focusing on delivering productivity rather than just resources [13][14] - The MaaS model allows for direct access to model capabilities, reducing the need for extensive infrastructure development and maintenance, thus enhancing efficiency and scalability [14][15] Application Across Industries - The adoption of AI models, particularly the Doubao model from Volcano Engine, has been significant in the automotive industry, with 90% of major car manufacturers integrating this technology [18] - Various sectors, including automotive, electronics, and food service, are leveraging AI to enhance user experiences and operational efficiencies, demonstrating the versatility and applicability of AI technologies [21][22] Future Outlook - The article emphasizes that the demand for AI capabilities is expected to grow, with token consumption serving as a key indicator of industry health and AI integration [24] - As industries continue to embrace AI, the focus will shift towards achieving measurable outcomes and optimizing investment returns through the effective use of tokens [23][24]

Core Insights - The AI market driven by large models is accelerating with a new metric, Token consumption, becoming a "real benchmark" for AI application deployment [1] - The IDC report reveals a staggering growth projection, with the volume of large model calls on public cloud in China expected to reach 536.7 trillion Tokens in the first half of 2025, a nearly 400% increase from 114 trillion Tokens in 2024 [1] - The market landscape is becoming clearer, with Volcano Engine holding a 49.2% market share, expanding its lead from 46.4% in 2024 [1] Market Dynamics - Volcano Engine leads the Chinese large model public cloud service market with a 49.2% share, followed by Alibaba Cloud at 27.0% and Baidu Smart Cloud at 17.0% [2] - A different report by Omdia shows Alibaba Cloud leading with a 35.8% share when considering the entire cloud service chain, indicating a shift from infrastructure competition to deepening model applications [2] Token Consumption as a Metric - The choice of "Token call volume" as a core statistic reflects a rethinking of evaluation standards in the AI industry, focusing on actual model usage rather than just computational supply [3] - Token consumption is closely tied to application deployment, showcasing a more sustainable and exponentially growing model for the AI industry [4] Growth Catalysts - Two key technological breakthroughs have significantly impacted market growth: the first in July 2024, when the YoY growth rate for large model public cloud services exceeded 160% following cost reductions from the Doubao model [5][6] - The second breakthrough occurred in February 2025, marked by the popularity of the DeepSeek-R1 inference model, indicating a shift from model training to inference services [6] Volcano Engine's Competitive Edge - Volcano Engine's rapid growth in the large model business is attributed to its strategic, technological, and scale advantages [7] - The Doubao model family has a leading iteration speed in the industry, covering multiple modalities including text, image, audio, and video [8] - The performance of Volcano Engine's MaaS platform, "Volcano Ark," has been significantly enhanced, with output rates for the DeepSeek-R1 model being 2.6 times that of some competitors [9] Industry Penetration - The AI cloud service market is expanding from the internet sector into traditional industries, with Volcano Engine serving major clients across various sectors, including automotive and finance [10] - The market is expected to have hundreds of times growth potential, with multi-modal models and Agent applications driving future growth [11] Future Trends - Volcano Engine is continuously upgrading its products and services, recently launching several new models and a "smart model routing" service to balance performance and cost [11] - The daily Token consumption has surpassed 30 trillion, reflecting a growth of over 80% since May 2025 [11] - The competition in the "Tokens economy" will favor those who provide the best performance at the lowest cost, shaping a more mature ecosystem in the AI cloud market [12]