Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This bachelor’s thesis examines the state of the global artificial intelligence (AI) market as of early 2026, focusing on its key market actors, both governmental and private and the factors that influence the market dynamics. The AI market as a concept is still as of 2026 quite vague. Studies into the topic are few and far between and fail to utilize standardized terminology. Thus, for the sake of clarity the AI market is defined as the ecosystem of business, products, infrastructure and technologies built around AI and its commercial use. In recent decades the AI market has boomed with corporations seeing unpresented growth. This thesis however shows that market power is highly concentrated, with a small number of transnational technology firms dominating due to their access to capital, data and computing power. The thesis further contributes to the field of study by categorizing the AI ecosystem into core industries and supporting infrastructure, drawing from previous research to construct said framework. Regional differences are also explored with the U.S. emerging as the main market power with China and Europe lagging behind due to regulatory challenges. Overall, the findings indicate that access to capital, high quality data and vast amounts of computing power are crucial for achieving and maintaining market power within the AI industry strengthening the position of existing companies and making entry into the field difficult.
Source: UTUPub (University of Turku)
Author: Lindström, Lenni
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220804031