Global annual AI server shipments, 2023-2024

The global generative AI boom that started in the first half of 2023 has since created numerous applications. Demand for multimodal model applications, on-device small language models (SLM), retrieval augmented generation (RAG), and large language model agents (LLM agents) has been rising, which is also generating better-than-expected growth in demand for AI servers that are at the heart of generative AI computing.

DIGITIMES Research has revised upwards the 2024 shipment forecasts for high-end AI servers and general AI servers to 564,000 units and 724,500 units, increasing by 182.6% and 54.2%, respectively, compared with 2023.

In 2024, the top-5 players will account for 76.8% of the high-end AI server shipments from major global cloud service providers (CSP) and brands. The concentration will be lower than the 85% recorded in 2023. Among them, Google will be one of the most active players in deploying AI servers in 2024, with its shipments surpassing Microsoft to take the top place in the ranking.