Artificial Intelligence: bubble effect or long-term trend?

The enthusiasm is such that some fear a bubble effect or predict a rapid waning of interest and investments in the sector. However, AI has everything it takes to be not only a technological revolution but also the source of a new cycle of innovation.

Concrete Investments

Indeed, beyond speculation and forecasts, investments in AI are very concrete. Between 2013 and 2022, the United States invested $248.9 billion in this technology, China $95.1 billion, and France $6.6 billion¹.

Another equally tangible example is that more than 250 new data centers are are expected to be operational worldwide in the first half of 2024. This trend is expected to continue with approximately a hundred more are under construction².

Investments in AI infrastructure – data centers, processors – not only demonstrate the interest from both private and public players in AI; they also ensure that these technologies can be deployed in the coming years and widely adopted. Without this infrastructure, the entire value chain of AI – from facilitators like database management solutions to users – is at risk of slowing down.

New Technological Breakthrough

Investments in infrastructure will need to continue to support the rise of AI as a major new technological breakthrough emerges. Following conversational models and those incorporating memory and learning capabilities, this breakthrough aims to equip AI with reasoning abilities.

This addresses the supply side of IA development.. On the demand side, the potential for growth is equally significant. In this area, almost everything remains to be done, especially since expectations and needs remain high – if only to revitalize productivity in Europe, which has stagnated at an average annual rate of just +0.6% between 2008 and 2020 according to the OECD. AI could indeed serve as the long-awaited key driver to achieve significant productivity gains.

AI and data

It is estimated that 400 million terabytes of data are created daily, amounting to nearly 150 zettabytes in 2024. This trend is expected to continue as estimates project 180 zettabytes of new data in 2025. Not all of this data is intended to be analyzed. However, when it comes to data generated by companies, it has undeniable "business" value. Yet, between 60% and 73% of this data remains unanalyzed³. A study by True Global Intelligence shows that a majority of decision-makers and IT professionals believe that more than half of their company's data is "unexploited, unqualified, or unused."⁴ The strength of AI, whether analytical, predictive, or generative, lies in its ability to analyze and process these data. For companies, this is a strategic imperative to remain competitive and a driver of innovation to reinvent themselves and meet the changing needs of their market. However, this potential is still far from reaching its full potential.

Ongoing Adoption

More than specific sectors, solutions integrating AI will change the way companies address common challenges. Significant productivity gains are expected in terms of demand, risks, R&D, etc. These AI-integrated solutions should also improve productivity through better operational efficiency and automation. Furthermore, they pave the way for greater personalization of services and products, smoother customer relations, and optimized training. These are all areas that concern every company, regardless of their industry.

The adoption of these solutions is supported by a growing demand from users. A study conducted by Ipsos and CESI Engineering School in February 2025 reveals that nearly 9 out of 10 French people have heard of generative AI, and 4 out of 10 people use it, primarily in a private context. This adoption varies significantly by age: 74% of 18-24-year-olds use it, compared to 55% of 25-34-year- olds and only 17% of 60-75-year-olds.

Additionally, notable overuse is observed among senior executives, with 64% of them using these tools. Again, we are far from saturation, and according to a recent KPMG⁵ survey, AI was an investment priority for a large majority of business leaders.

All the fundamentals are now in place to make AI a major long-term trend: technologies that have reached a degree of maturity without exhausting their development potential, cross-cutting applications, a strong willingness to adopt, and ambitious yet necessary investments. AI is here to stay and to contribute to solid and profitable growth for all.