# AI and digital platforms Stratum 6 · Integrated services Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/ Stratum 6 · Integrated services ## AI and digital platforms AI and digital platforms turn compute, data and research into models and the applications built on them, sold as chat assistants, APIs, copilots and AI features inside software. Gartner estimates worldwide AI spending at about US$ 1.76 trillion in 2025 and forecasts US$ 2.5 trillion in 2026, more than half of it on infrastructure. Investment is heavily concentrated in the US, which attracted US$ 285.9 billion of AI investment in 2025 against US$ 20.9 billion in Europe and US$ 12.4 billion in China (Stanford AI Index).^[1](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-1-15-gartner-says-worldwide-ai-spending-will-total-2-point-5-trillion-dollars-in-2026) **India.** India's ₹10,372 crore IndiaAI Mission has onboarded more than 38,000 GPUs on a shared compute portal that rents them at subsidised rates to Indian start-ups and academia^[4](https://www.digitalindia.gov.in/press_release/indiaai-mission-expands-ai-ecosystem-with-affordable-compute-and-startup-support/). India's main strength is in AI services and integration through its IT firms and capability centres, rather than in chips or frontier models. Depends on 18 of 35 industries · 5 directly Relied on by 0 industries, directly or indirectly Enterprise types 9 in 6 stages Chokepoints 1 rated 5 of 5 Size about US$ 1.76 trillion of AI spending (Gartner estimate; forecast US$ 2.5 trillion in 2026) 2025 ## [Where ₹100 of AI and digital platforms output goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/cost-mix/) Where ₹100 of AI and digital platforms output goes Every rupee of sales is paid out to someone along the chain. This splits ₹100 of output by who finally receives it, so you can see how exposed the industry is to commodity, chemical and energy prices. Commodities ₹1.6 Chemicals ₹0.2 Energy ₹2.4… ## [Price links with supplier industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/price-links/) Price links with supplier industries How the industries this one buys from shape its prices: the share of its costs they make up, and how their prices have moved together. Tap a row for the charts. Hover or tap ? for what each measure means. Supplier industry Cost share Raw-material mix… ## [Follow one offering through the chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/story/) Follow one offering through the chain 6 Example story · 7 steps · India Sarvam's Indian-language AI model, built in India Follow one answer in an Indian language back through the app, the model, public data, subsidised GPUs and the chips beneath. 1 / 7 · AI chips Chips designed in America, made in… ## [Buys directly from](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/linked-industries/) Buys directly from Data centres and cloud Software and IT services Media and entertainment Education and research Finance: banking, insurance, markets Depends on through its suppliers Building materials Computers and electronics Construction and infrastructure Electrical equipment Machinery and… ## [Value chain, from upstream to the customer](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/value-chain/) Value chain, from upstream to the customer Criticality to the chain: 5 · Chokepoint 4 · Critical 3 · Important 2 · Supporting 1 · Commodity service Stage 1 AI chips AI accelerator and chip designers 5 · Chokepoint Design the GPUs and custom accelerators that train and run models, and sell them… ## [What the whole chain draws on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/materials/) What the whole chain draws on Every commodity, chemical and energy tile named by the enterprises above; ×n shows how many of them depend on it. Open any tile for its full detail. Commodities (9) Cu Copper ×2 Si Silicon Au Gold He Helium Ta Tantalum Al Aluminium St Steel H₂O Water Gas Natural gas… ## [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/risks/) Chokepoints and risks Chip concentration: Nvidia holds an estimated 80-90% of AI accelerator revenue and TSMC in Taiwan makes most leading-edge accelerators, while export controls limit who can buy them 5 . Power: data centres used about 415 TWh (1.5% of world electricity) in 2024 and about 17%… ## [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/sources/) Sources Gartner says worldwide AI spending will total $2.5 trillion in 2026 Gartner, 2026 The 2026 AI Index Report: Economy Stanford HAI, 2026 Energy and AI: Energy demand from AI International Energy Agency, 2025 IndiaAI Mission expands AI ecosystem with affordable compute and startup support… ## Relationship cards - [Data centres and cloud](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-data-centres-and-cloud/): AI models are trained and served in data centres, so AI spending turns directly into data-centre construction and power demand: five large tech firms spent over USD 400 billion of capex in 2025, data-centre electricity use rose 17%, and power and equipment are now the bottleneck. *(researched)* - [Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-data-centres/): AI models are trained and served in data centres, so AI spending turns directly into electricity demand: data centre use grew 17% in 2025 and the IEA expects it to double by 2030, with grid connections and power equipment now the binding constraint. *(researched)* - [Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-distribution-grids-mini-grids-and-interconnectors/): AI adds large, concentrated electric loads, from chip fabs to data centres, that local networks must connect and supply without interruption; transformer shortages and slow connections make the grid, not demand, the pacing factor. *(researched)* - [Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-software-and-it-services/): AI platforms buy software and engineering from IT firms, and IT firms resell and integrate AI for clients, but the same models can automate coding and process work; for India, whose tech industry was expected to earn about USD 315 billion in FY26 with USD 246 billion from exports, AI is both a new revenue line and a threat to the old one. *(researched)* - [Computers and electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-computers-and-electronics/): AI and digital platforms buys from Computers and electronics; AI and digital platforms depends on computers and electronics. - [E-commerce and digital marketplaces](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from AI and digital platforms; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on AI and digital platforms. - [Education and research](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-education-and-research/): AI and digital platforms buys from Education and research; AI and digital platforms depends on education and research. - [Electrical equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-electrical-equipment/): AI and digital platforms buys from Electrical equipment; AI and digital platforms depends on electrical equipment. - [Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-finance-banking-insurance-markets/): AI and digital platforms buys from Finance: banking, insurance, markets; AI and digital platforms depends on finance: banking, insurance, markets. - [Hospitality and tourism](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-hospitality-and-tourism/): Hospitality and tourism buys from AI and digital platforms; hospitality and tourism depends on AI and digital platforms. - [Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-media-and-entertainment/): AI and digital platforms buys from Media and entertainment; AI and digital platforms depends on media and entertainment. - [Professional services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-professional-services/): Professional services buys from AI and digital platforms; professional services depends on AI and digital platforms. - [Semiconductors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-semiconductors/): AI and digital platforms buys from Semiconductors; AI and digital platforms depends on semiconductors. - [AC transmission](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ac-transmission-and-ai-and-digital-platforms/): AI and digital platforms depends on AC transmission. - [Aluminium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-aluminium/): AI and digital platforms depends on aluminium. - [Copper](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-copper/): AI and digital platforms depends on copper. - [Electronic specialty gases](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-electronic-specialty-gases/): AI and digital platforms depends on electronic specialty gases. - [Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-energy-in-buildings/): AI and digital platforms depends on energy in buildings. - [Epoxy resins](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-epoxy-resins/): AI and digital platforms depends on epoxy resins. - [Fluorochemicals and refrigerants](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-fluorochemicals-and-refrigerants/): AI and digital platforms depends on fluorochemicals and refrigerants. - [Gas turbines and combined cycle](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-gas-turbines-and-combined-cycle/): AI and digital platforms depends on gas turbines and combined cycle. - [Gold](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-gold/): AI and digital platforms depends on gold. - [Helium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-helium/): AI and digital platforms depends on helium. - [Lithium iron phosphate batteries](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries/): AI and digital platforms depends on lithium iron phosphate batteries. - [Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-natural-gas/): AI and digital platforms depends on natural gas. - [Photoresists](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-photoresists/): AI and digital platforms depends on photoresists. - [Silicon](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-silicon/): AI and digital platforms depends on silicon. - [Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-steel/): AI and digital platforms depends on steel. - [Tantalum](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-tantalum/): AI and digital platforms depends on tantalum. - [Ultra-pure wet chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-ultra-pure-wet-chemicals/): AI and digital platforms depends on ultra-pure wet chemicals. - [Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-water/): AI and digital platforms depends on water. - [Water treatment chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-water-treatment-chemicals/): AI and digital platforms depends on water treatment chemicals. ## Other sections - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/price-links/index.md) - [Example story](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/story/index.md) - [Linked industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/linked-industries/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ai_platforms/sources/index.md)